The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-07 00:00:00

PIM LIC OPINION.

We take the following from the Chronicle :—" It
is somewhat amusing to see the Tory Government
lauded as taking vigorous measures for the suppres-
sion of Chartism, after Whig tolerance bad allowed it
to grow to a formidable head. When a purpose is to
be answered, facts are forgotten with wonderful fa-
cility. Peaceable Chartistism is no offence : it is not
a thing to be crushed by prosecutions or persecutions.
' And the Chartism that relied on violence as its agency
had succumbed under Whig Administration ; net only
before the Tories possessed themselves of the Govern-
ment, but while they were, from time to time, frater-
nizing with these very Chartists to embarrass
their common political opponents. That is the
plain state of the case. Toryism finds, on com-
ing into power, its old ally crippled and
effete ; and begins to trample upon it with loud
reproaches on its predecessors for their tolerance.
We shall see which method is the most successful.
We believe, however, that the wise and kindly yet
efficient course, pursued by the late Government, has
so extensively dispelled the illusion of establishing the
Charter by force, that even Toryism will not goad
the multitude into any great suicidal outbreak. They
will bear much, now that their eyes are opened on
that point. Thei will even endure to be warned that
the commemoration of a massacre may be an offence,
though there was no crime in its perpetration. Still
it is well to try them as gently as possible, and we
would fain hope that those who have not disdained to
pirate. certain lessons of national economy from their
predecessors, may also, in time, abstract a few maxims
from their political system."
The following remarks on the present state of feel-
ing in France towards England, are from the Herald :
—" Not content with refusing to allow their Sove-
reign to ratify a treaty which his representative had
originated and concluded, the French are resolved
that their Government shall not implement treaties
which have been ratified ; and though they will not
take any active measure to put down the slave trade,
they would prevent any attempt on the part of Eng-
land to suppress that horrible crime. This mania, or
frenzy, is a melancholy exhibition for so great and
fine a people as the french to make. England is
their mad subject, and when the fit is on them. , Eu-
rope may some day feel the want of strait jackets
capacious enough to restrain the freaks and antics of
temporary lunacy in nations. Scarcely a French mer-
chantman that returns from Africa which does not
throw them into a fit of delirium ; every skipper in
their African trade, regardless of how hard a thing
it is to write,' can positively, by spelling a letter
to a provincial paper, dement his fellow-citizens ;
and every foolish complaint, every tale of hardship or
affront from that coast, is quite enough to set all.
France in a blaze. Their statistical return show
that French commerce with Western Africa is rapidly
extending, yet do they believe any idle bouycer or ig-
norant journalist who tells themit is disappearing;
their Government is endeavouring to form new settle-
ments on that coast; yet do they perversely close their
eyes to those they have; their merchants have mono-
polised the African gum at the expense of England,
yet do they give ample credence to every stupid
story about the decline of their trade ; their cruisers
have a perfect right to search every English ship in
those seas, having a suspicious appearance, and yet
do they exclaim against a one-sided right of search.
There is, in truth, no reasoning with the French
press on this subject, its absurdities are so great and
its prejudices so inveterate."
The Times has the following comments on the an-
nouncement of the London bankers to shut up their
counting-houses every day at four o'clock :—" The
London bankers, it appears, are tired of eeping their
counting-houses open till five o'clock, and meditate
cutting an hour a day from their period of business.
The weakly constitutions of the present day are un-
able to cope with that amount of labour on which our
fathers flourished, and by the steady perseverance in
which English commerce has become what it is. We
must be allowed to say that we rather understand
than admire their sudden objection to hard work.
None would be more ready than ourselves to advo-
cate a diminution of the labour of those whose powers
we really believed to be overtaxed. Any feasible pro-
ject for shortening the duration of that long and weary-
ing bodily labour to which the labouring classes are too
generally condemned, would command, if not our sober
approval, at least our best wishes for success. We might
think the means chosen for effecting this reform vi,
sionary and unpractical ; but we should understand A
and respect the feeling from which the attempt arose.
The effort., unsuccessful as it might be, would be ac-
counted for and justified by the facts. Not so, how-
ever, the bankers' reform. We confess we cannot
see that eight hours of such work as a banker and
his clerks are condemned to are so grievous and un-
bearable a tax on man, whose lot is to labour.
Tedious and uninteresting it very likely is ; so are
many things which we are all obliged to do ; but
when we remember the 12, 13, or 14 hours' confine-
ment to which the tradesman is compelled to submit,
when we remember the length of time which the
agriculturist, the manufacturer, and the practising
lawyer are obliged to devote to their vocations, we
cannot discover the justice of that urgent claim for
remission which is now put forward by one class of
gentlemen concerned in business."
The Post says :—" If the authorities quoted by the
Anti-Corn-law League are to be taken as absolute
authorities, in the face of which no man may maintain
an opposite opinion, then, indeed, Liberalism is
triumphant, and we may fold our arms in despair.
But we deny that the case is so, and we must take the
liberty of adding, that if all who ought to speak their
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answer the purpose of British landowners to state
firmly that they are not disposed to do anything in fur-
therance of the policy of the League, but, on the con-
trary, will steadily resist that policy, no matter by whom
it may be wholly or partially supported. The Morn-
ing Chronicle, in- its easy way, assumes that, under
existing circumstances, the policy of legislative pro-
tection against the competition of foreign labour may
be considered to be virtually at an end. If the
country be prepared to acquiesce in the interpretation
put upon Ministerial declarations by the Anti-Corn-
law League, and to yield to the policy which these
declarations are understood to embody, we do not
see that the assumption of our Contemporary could be
said to be unfounded. And if our labourers are really
to have no protection from continental competition
save what the cost of conveying continental produc-
tions to British markets may afford, what is to become
"of the labourers? It is notorious that they have to
pay a much higher taxation than the continental la- ,

bourers, and the; afore if they were reduced to the same
level of remuneration they could.nbt live so 'well."
DZONEY—TRELDE—COMMERCE.
The working classes of Carlisle, as we stated the
other week, have formed themselves into parties for
the purpose of purchasing and slaughtering sheep for
their own use. The plan is now rapidly extending,
and they are enabled to eat their mutton at a com-
paratively low price.
The total number of passengers conveyed by the
railway during the three days of Croydon Fair
amounted to 15,000 persons.
A large meeting of the General Council of the
Metropolitan Chartists took place last night at their
hall in the Old Bailey, for the purpose of agreeing as
to the course which the Chartists, as a body, had best
pursue, in connexion with the efforts at present mak-
ing by Government, to put down public discussion,
by Government prosecutions. It was resolved "That
the secretaries present give in their names and resi-
dences, in order that they might be communicated
with and brought together on any case of emergency,
and at a moment's notice." The appointment of " class
investigators" for visiting,and reporting on the state
of the localities was moved, but withdrawn.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
A bazaar was held on Wednesday and Thursday at
the Bridge-house Hotel, London-bridge, for the pur-
pose of making a sale'to supply the existing deficiency
for the completion of the new Church of St. Mary's,
Southwark, how' building in the Old Kent-road. The
net proceeds of the two days' sale amounted to nearly
300/.

ruzLXC IMPROVEMENTS.
The Duchess of Sutherland has given directions
for various schoolmasters to be sent.to Edinburgh at
her expense, there to be instructed in the normal
system, for co-operation with the Duke in extending
education over his Grace's estates in Scotland.
AGRICULTURAL.
A ploughing match for the challenge prize of 51.,
between Bucks, Middlesex, and 13erks, took place in
the former county on Wednesday last. The prize
was awarded to the South-West Middlesex Associa-
tion, which has been the winner three years in suc-
cession.

L.111;47 .?JD POLICE.
William Bell was charged at Queen-square, with
having committed upwards of seventy cases of fraud
upon tradesmen, varying in value from 41. to 101. He
was ordered to be brought up again in a week, for
the attendance of other tradesmen.
Yesterday • fifteen robust men, inmates of the
Bethnal-green workhouse; were charged at Worship-
street, with refractory conduct, and refusing to do the
work assigned. They were committed to the tread-
mill for twenty-one days.
Eliza and Caroline Foster were charged at Ken-
sington, on suspicion of having stolen a valuable ring.
The prisoners were remanded for further inquiry
to be made.
Edmund Still, a seaman, summoned Captain Robin-
son, the master of the ship Orbit, from Quebec, to
show cause why he refused payment of his wages. It
appeared that it was frequently the custom of seamen
to go to Quebec, for the special purpose when there of
deserting, and exacting very high wages. This, the
prisoner had done, and a clause inserted in his articles
was quoted to show that he had broken them. Such
a proceeding, however, was shown to be at variance
with the existing Act, under which the Magistrate
decided that the wages must be paid.