The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-21 00:00:00

nit !ottit

LONDON:
THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 21, 1842.

It is now upwards of sixty years since it was clearly
demonstrated by a British sage, and forcibly confirmed
by an American sage, that all bounties on particular
branches of industry, all prohibitions of particular com-
modities, and all interference with commerce by legisla-
tion, is very injurious to society. So impressed was Dr.
FRANKLIN with this, that he described an assembly of
great men making laws for trade as the greatest fools on
earth. Since that period no man of talent or authority
has gainsaid this important doctrine. On the contrary,
every writer of the least authority has confirmed the de-
monstration of SMITH and FRANKLIN. Every day's ex-
perience, too, since they forcibly drew attention to these
subjects, has stamped upon their doctrines the seal of the
highest human wisdom. The practice of our Legislature
in general has been to act on these doctrines, and to
admit their truth even while it did not conform to them.
While no new restriction has in any case been productive
of benefit, every restriction removed has been found ad-
vantageous. In the whole compass of human knowledge
it would be difficult to find a theory more amply confirmed
1 by facts than has been that of Dr. SMITH.
Ti the astonishment of the world, however, the Par-
liament of England, in the year 1842, under the guid-
ance of a man who professes to be an advocate for free
trade, and to have been a friend of Mr. Husxassost, has
passed a great law, giving a bounty to one species of
industry, and protecting it from foreign competition.
He has done this in spite of remonstrances, and in defi-
ance of experience. Sir ROBERT PEEL and the Parlia-
ment, in 1812, have, in the face of the world, disavowed
the doctrines of SMITH, and practically proclaimed to all
mankind that it is the solemn conviction of our states-
men, that to enable our own agriculture to flourish a
bounty must be given on the growth of corn, and the
agriculturists must be guarded from the competition of
foreigners.
What is the consequence ? France acts on the same
principle, and gives a bounty and protection to the
manufacture of linen yarn. America and the American.
are prepared to follow the same example, and President
TYLER, in vetoeing the little tariff, professes himself an
advocate for higher Custom-house duties. Our own bad
example is imitated to our injury. The Corn-law in-
flicts, in fact, on our manufacturers a double penalty; it
enhances the price of their food, while it limits the quan-
tity, and it closes against them, by its effects as an ex-
ample, the markets of other countries.
Those who have silently looked on as the ruinous Corn-
laws have been enacted, which they might have stopped,
have been instantly alarmed at the legislation of France,
and have bestirred themselves at once to amend it. They
have addressed memorials to our Government, re-
questing interference in their favour. Her MAJESTY'S Mi-
nisters, not at all abashed at the consequence of their own
foolish and wicked policy, have informed the linen-manu-
facturers that they have remonstrated with France about
her fiscal regulations, though the statesmen of England
have always rejected the interference of other Govern-
' ments with ours. Over the Government of France, the
prayers, the entreaties, and the tears of the linen-manu-
facturers will have no favourable influence. The more
they beg and pray, the more the French will suppose
that they themselves will be enriched by these new
duties, and the more obstinately they will cling to them.
Better would it be, therefore, for the linen-manufacturers
to reproach their own Government, which they can in-
fluence, and charge it with setting a bad example. Let
them, insteading of troubling themselves about the linen
duties in France, look to the corn and provision duties of
England ; let them insist on the Government repealing
them, and establishing free trade at home, before it asks
other Governments to remit its duties on our manufac-
tures. By doing so, they would more effectually coun-
teract the policy of France than by making direct appeals,
which only harden it in its own folly.
Already the English manufacturers are able to com- WESTMINSTER LOAN AND INVESTMENT COMPANY.
pete with those of France in their markets, otherwise —At Guildhall yesterday, another investigation into the
the duty would not be required. Now the abolition of affairs of the above Company took place before Sir Peter
the Corn-laws would enable our manufacturers to get Laurie. Several persons attended for the purpose of
proving how they had been duped. Sir Peter asked
everything they use, even flax, cheaper than at present, one of the clerks belonging to the Company, how much
and with such a reduction of cost they might effectually the liabilities were ? He said they had paid all within
undersell the French manufacturers in spite of the high 4,0001., and that the affairs were still under investiga-
(laties. For the French Government to raise them tion ; and if they only waited, he had no doubt all the
higher would only increase the bounty on smuggling, as
applicants would get their money. Sir
well as injure the consumers and the revenue. P. Laurie said
that if they had the money why not pay, and then there
would be an end of the affair ?
Sonic of our Contemporaries, forgetful we must sa
~THE
NOBILITY
AT GOTHA.—" Find the nobility
of the principles they espouse on other occasions, here very agreeable—great sportsmen and great feeders—
recommend retaliatory duties on French produce ; in short, good jolly fellows, not incumbered with learn-
that is, the French try to stop our linen trade, and ing, and, perhaps, arrogating a too great consequence
these writers would effectually help them, and stop our from
otlfitehiremilliiasghf deesttntivietnxceuitorm,
s, however,Braste. ins,
cutlery trade too. The manufacturers of linen yarn many,ch.iotheims, &c., can trace a gpure descent of some six
are to suffer from one bad law made across the Channel, hundred years' nobility. They never mix with the
and a Liberal Contemporary would more certainly in- boUrgeois, and a foreigner is all the better received who
flict an injury on the drinker of French wine, and on all has ade or some such handle to his patronymic."—Stan-
engaged in the wine trade, by another bad law made at ford's Thuringian Saxony.
Westminster. Supposing such a retaliatory law in- anticipation of Mr. Sergeant Jack-
flicted on the French wine-grower, the evil of which our Mr. G. A. .
.Hamiltoniinis canvassing the electors of
sDotiiitislineieLyas university
in
the Bench. Mr. Shaw is not a can-
linen yarn spinners complain would not be lessened, and
we should malevolently imitate the very act we con- offered him, accept it—alt least jueiht;itnsosti:s
didate for the vacant judgeship, and would not, were it
paper. ttlilmet Dublin Mail.
demi). It would effectually promote object contem- It ishstasotend by
of the late Baron of the Irish Exckquer, C.
plated by the French legislator, and cut up by the roots
likelySlt 'to be the new Solicitor-General, if he can get into
a demand in France for our produce in payment of parliament.
partiesat e ob'eelienegk,waohuosndteilde
French wine. AFFAIR OF HONOUR—BOTII PARTIES WOUNDED.
t meetingi;o (and
severely) w tookhiel
Suppose, however, that we were to take a more
iYeremsteinrdateday
Christian-like course, and return good for evil, what
place
on
Putney-heath, between Alexander
would be the effect of lowering the duties on French residing at Barossa Villa, St. John's-wood, Regent's-park, Ell
inboyibinointhg;
wines and brandy? The French would not give us wine AugwativiJeamesorTatnkerfield, Esq., residing in Upper Glow.
and brandy; they would require payment, and that would Fes..otsrre.-Ivae, D
N o.'clocksebo-thinp..narreti„R egent's Park. At five minutes
make our linen yarn more valuable in Fiance. It would bet
arrived on the ground, Mr. i lenenaniciaTirnii:ldetbyantdlielllrPotiindsi:
fetch a high price ; and that circumstance, connected chariot. The distance, sixteen paces, being measured, the
with its being made cheaper, should the Core• laws be I hostile parties took up their positions and Ored, Mr. Pollington re-
abolished, would constitute so large a premium on smug- cinelidvigier.th.; ctoirliatr
eitfslhis antarist's pistol in the left coin,
gling, that the smugglers would soon redress theinjus-
the elbow. A surgeonZng"rlign atltyte in
t'heen, leiiiiiittni aeir the ball
tice of the Legislature, and compel it to lower orabolish from out of the wound of Mr. Pellingteii, and he was re.
its duties. moved home in the chariot. The wound of Mr. T. being
slight, it was •
In the case of Brazilian sugar, which is so unwisely
itnrnediatei bound up, and he, accompanied by his friends,.
excluded from our marketsby our high duties, the arose from. Ya paofltieticwalarciiisspncitne,itrtettihaee tgoroaund T
recent investigation
geeattionng
persons who are most clamourous for a repeal of those of same elections before the Committees t'f. the Rouse of
duties are our merchaats• They justly say 4114 they Couuum.

TAX ON STAGE-COACHES AND RAILWAYS.—By the
Bill to repeal the duties on stage-carriages, which has
been read a second time in the House of Commons,
the Government carries into effect those reductions on
licenses to be taken out yearly for stage carriages, and
in the mileage duty, which Sir Robert Peel announced
when he explained his financial project. The license is to
be reduced to 31. 3s. and the mileage duty to ad. By the
same Bill the duty on railways is to be a for every
1001. upon all sums received or charged for the hire,
fare, or conveyance of all passengers. At present the
duty is so much per head, which operates with great
severity on railroads carrying passengers of the lower
classes for short distances, and has, we believe, rendered
some of them unprofitable. On all of them it has ope-
rated.to make the proprietors Eomewhat indifferent to
conveying passengers who find it difficult to pay both
the tax and the cost of theconveyance. We believe the
change in the mode of levying this duty will be of
great advantage to railroads conveying a multitude of
passengers short distances, and will induce the Railway
Directors to provide more accommodation for the
humble-classes who will thus be benefited by the change.
The elegant Cottage Villa, at the foot of Highgate-hill,
which was erected 15 years ago, under the auspices of
Mathews, the lamented comedian, is about to change
hands again, next week, through the instrumentality of
Mr. George Robins. Since poor Mathews's death near
4,0001. has been expended in rendering it one of the most
perfect of the suburban; villas.