The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-12 00:00:00

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LONDON :
SATURDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER 12, 1842.

It affords us personally considerable pleasure
to ,find the merely Whig journals become the
zealous advocates of the repeal of the sliding
scale. They now treat the question of the Corn-
laws, as we have been for years in the habit of
treating it, as of vital importance, and claim
great credit for the late Ministers, because they
took it up in 1841. It' the Whig Ministers
adopt the opinions of the Whig, journals, how
much must they regret the determined opposi-
tion which they gave to Mr. VILLIERS, and to
every other advocate of the repeal of the Corn-
laws in 1838, 1539, and 1840. They were not
contented in the two first of those years with
holding themselves even neuter in the contest—
they took the lead in defeating the free trade
party, and brought to bear against it all the influ-
ence and power they possessed in both Houses of
Parliament. They even resisted the motions
for inquiry. Their leader denounced the free
traders as little better than madmen; and both
by their language and their votes they confirmed
and strengthened the most odious monopoly that
ever crushed the energies of a people boasting
of freedom. It seems by the language and con-
duct of their journals, which harp on this subject
day after day, and speak of the Corn-laws as of
the last importance, that the party is now filled
with bitter regret at its former unrc4ecting
conduct.

The influence of prosperity or adversity, in ex-
tending or curtailing the franchise, to which we
yesterday adverted, ought to add to their shame
at not having perceived the consequence of
their own measures. By pursuing a course of
restrictive policy which prevented the gradual
extension of the franchise, and which dis-
franchised a great number of intelligent
artisans, they dried up the sources of their
own strength. They disfranchised their friends.
They increased amazingly the number of
their enemies. All who did not get,
and all who lost, the franchise, regarded the
Whigs as deceivers or traitors, and acted to-
wards- them accordingly. The effect of their
measures was to strike down the democracy, and
as they themselves were members of the aris-
tocracy, it was concluded that they designed the
effects which they produced. Hence they are
treated, and have been treated, by that de-
mocracy to which they looked, and still look,
for support, as having invidiously stolen into
its confidence by large promises only to deceive
and betray it into the hands of the aristocracy.
That is not our opinion, but it is the opinion of
great multitudes, who have suffered privations,
gone to decay, or been disfranchised in almost
every part Of the empire ; and those who enter-
thin it hate the Whigs even more than they hate
the Tories
• As the Whigs have now seen some of their
errors, and as they lean on the popular or de-
mocratic party for support, it becomes them to
deal plainly, honestly, and frankly with that
party. What line of policy have they adopted ?
How do they propose to win back the affection
and support of the people? If they think
they can obtain that on account of their
former character and situation, without
laying before the public a clear and
definite plan of proceeding, they are mistaken.
Above all, what do they propose to do with the
Corn-laws ? The Monopolists might now gladly
accept and support the Whig proposition of an
Ss. fixed duty as a safe retreat. They might ex-
pect with that, as a barrier, defended both by
Whigs and 'furies, to resist the progress of free
trade opinions, and cnntinue to plunder the
people some time longer. But a fixed duly
Ol.would please no other party ; and if the
higs, rest their policy on that, they must give
tip all hopes of support exeeist from the Monopo•
aml they should at once openly connect them-
selves with the Anti-Free-trade part::. What-
ever may be their intentions, and whatever line
of policy they are disposed to adopt, we can
assure them, in the most friendly spirit,
that if they wish to find any support
beyond their personal friends, they must state
p ',th .policy in a clear, definite, and authorised
manner, to the public. They must imitate Sir
ROBERT PEEL. When his discomfited party
was Urbp rallied, he laid down, published, and
adhered: to certain; principles, and to a plan
of Acacia, which at length placed him in office.
hum..o tugs muet do the same, and we advise
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