The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-22 00:00:00

MIAs, ,§nn.

LONDON:
FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 22, 1842.
_

Another debate on the condition of the people,
which occupied the house of Commons till nearly
half-past one o'clock, was caused last night by
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE. The object of the Hon. Gen-
tleman's motion was to obtain an assurance from
the Government that it would call Parliament
together in October or November, if the measures
recently passed should not relieve the distress
of the people. The debate was almost all on one
side. Only Sir JAMES GRAHAM and Sir ROBERT
PEEL spoke to the question from the Ministerial
benches, and neither of them made an effective speech.
Lord PALMERSTON, on the contrary, wound np the de-
bate in a speech which will be for some time remem-
bered by the Tories, particularly by Mr. Gr. MSTONE.
His cutting eloquence, and the more impressive facts
stated by the Members for the manufacturing dis-
tricts, failed to convince the Ilouse, which decided by
147 to 91 that it would not vote for an Address to
the QUEEN, that it would not disturb the
Members in their grouse and pheasant shoot-
ing, and that the people must help them-
selves, for the Parliament will not help them.
We hope the people will take the hint. Never did an
assembly so wantonly repudiate the power which the
people ask it to take. It will not govern and guide
the people, and they must, therefore, govern and guide
themselves. Starve they must not, and we hoPe will
not; and as the Parliament will not give them
relief, they have no alternative but to reject that
power which rejects their prayers, and relieve them-
sel•es. They can do that peaceably and certainly, if
they do not lack courage and independence. Gon
helps those who help themselves.

The Corn Averages published yesterday state the
duty to be the same as last Thursday. A s the
markets have begun to fall, and as the weather con-
tinues favourable, it seems unlikely that the average
prices will go higher, and the holders of foreign corn
in bond must either introduce it at an Bs. duty, or
hold it over in expectation of a higher price and a
lower duty afte Christmas. It is in truth stated by
commercial authorities, that these holders are-doubtful
whether they shall lose more by paying the duty and
bringing it into consumption at the present and
declining prices, than by holding it. Many of them
will probably be unable to hold, and must,
as the least evil, sell for what they can
get. Even large capitalists are likely to reflect
that good and bad seasons generally run in
triplets or quartets, that a succession of good seasons,
which seems now beginning, may be expected, and
that they are more likely to lose than gain by holding
over. The result will probably be, that under the
new law, as under the old law, all the corn that is in
bond will be poured into the market contempora-
neously with our own harvest, and should that turn
out abundant, will bring down prices very con-
siderably.
Supposing the corn now in bond to be entered for
home consumption, it will pay an Bs. duty, while,
under the old law, it would have been subjected, at
present prices, to a duty of 225. Bd. The consumers
will be so far benefited by the change; whether Sir R.
PEEL'S agricultural friends will thank him for
the change time will show. It is possible.
however, that under the old law the averages might
have been returned much higher ; they might even
have reached 735., and the duty would have fallen
to ls. We cannot tell how the speculators might
have worked the old law, but the promise of an early,
and probably a good harvest, would have had the
same effect of keeping down prices under the old as
under the new law. In fact, it is not the change
in the law, but the peculiar season, which
keeps down the markets and the averages.
If we could suppose that under the old
law . speculators would have so worked the returns
as now to bring in corn at a nominal duty, while
under the new law the duty is Bs., it'would then
follow that the new law has given the Government
480,0001., and taken that sum additional from the
consumers or from the dealers. It has rendered the
corn trade much less profitable to the latter, and by
diminishing their motives and means to import, may
tend ultimately to curtail the supply and raise prices.
It is plain from the uncertainty which now pre-
vails in the corn trade, that the new law has done no-
thing to lessen its hazards. Those who, a few
weeks ago were calculating on making large sums,
are very likely to lose them. The trade in food,
therefore, which ought to be-steady, is, in fact, as un-
certain as ever, and only gamblers will engage in it.
The last accounts from the United States represent
the harvest there as extremely promising. At the
meeting between the Anti-Corn-law Conference, on
Tuesday, and the City gentlemen, Mr. ASHWORTH
said that last September, while our people were
starving, food, which had been sent to New Orleans to
exchange for English goods, was lying rotting on the
quays, becsause it could not be taken in exchange for
English goods, .in consequence of the Corn-law. It
is plain, therefore, that the Corn-law in last Septem-
ber, and its effects last September, resemble its effects
in every other month of the year, kept employment
and food from our people, and so kept down popula-
tion. They were limited to that supply of food
which the Corn-law allowed to be brought in. New,
however, comes an abundant harvest here, and an
abundant harvest in the United States ; food will be
pressed, as it were, on the people, and they will have
nothing to give for it. It may be expected, there-
fore, that prices will fall considerably, and such a fall
will, it is plain, be the consequence of the Corn-law,
which would not allow the people in by-gone years to
increase up to the supply of food which they
could honestly command. When the Corn-law
ruins the farmer, the folly of his own injustice will
come home to him, and he may then, perhaps, practi-
cally and effectually learn the simple truth, that
" honesty is the best policy."

Mendicity in England is becoming quite frightful.
Between it and the law there is a continual contest ;
and we have to inform the public, that mendicity has
obtained the victory. It has set aside the law ; it has
overturned its authority. It has overruled the enact-
ments of the proud and potent (query, impotent)
Parliament of England, and reduced it into subjection,
as it were, to beggary. We will quote the proofs
from a useful article in the last Number of the Edin-
burgh Review.

It is well known that the law of England'has, time
out of mind, been extremely severe against vagrants.
The existing Vagrant Act, which " consolidates,
amends, and repeals the prior statutes relative to va-
grants," renders idle and disorderly persons who will
not work, who wander abroad and trade without a
license, who beg or gather alms, liable to be arrested
and sent to hard labour for one calend"
month. Rogues and vagabonds who are incorrigible
vagrants,
as well as persons guilty of other offences, -.are liable
to be 'punished with imprisonment and ]lard' labour
for three calendar months. Incorrigible rogues, who
are a degree worse than incorrigible vagrants, are
liable to be imprisoned and sentenced to hard labour
for a year, and to be whipped. This is a very
stringent law against vagrancy, and we have every
day examples of the police Magistrates 'seVeray and
summarily punishing vagrants by sending them to'

prison. _ _ _
In spite of this law, however, the writer in the
~Edinburgh Review gives abundant Teagoil to be.

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