The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-18 00:00:00

TARARE.

SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS.

We were the first to announce the probability of
Sir Charles Wetherall's retirement from the office of
Attorney-General, founding our expectations of that
event upon the knowledge which had reached us of
his having declined either to lend to Ministers his
professional services in preparing, or, as a Member of
the Legislature, to co-operate w►th them in forward-
ing, the great measure of conciliation, on which the
Cabinet had resolved. To do him justice, we believe
Sir Charles Wetherall was perfectly ready to sur-
render his place; but, for some reason or other, it is
not the policy of the Duke of Wellington to discard
the contumacious Members of his Government—a
policy on which we will pronounce no opinion,
other than that it furn!shes a sufficient refutation of
the charges of using the powers of his place, in an
unfair manner, for the suppression of public opinion.
Assuredly he is the first Minister who suffered his
Attorney-General to vote against a measure brought
forward avowedly on the responsibility of the Ca-
binet. The manner in which several of our con-
temporaries have attempted to account for Sir
Charles Wetherall's continuing to discharge the
functions of Attorney-General, on the supposition
that he is nevertheless to retire in the end from that
office, will not serve the purpose. They say, that
the object of the delay has been to avert the neces-
sity for Sir Nicholas Tindal's elevation to the office
now held by Sir. Charles Wetherall, in which event
a contest for the representation of the University
of Cambridge would ensue. But the notion of this
necessity arises from a mistake. The Solicitor-
Generbi is competent, pending the vacancy of the
office of Attorney-General, to discharge all the func-
tions of the first Law Officer of the Crown. In the
Books of Practice it is expressly mentioned, that
informations may be filed in the name of the So-
licitor-General, when the office of Attorney is va-
cant; which shows that the vacancy of that office
is a thing within the contemplation of law. It was
at, the instance of Sir Fletcher Norton, as Solicitor-
General,' that the informations were filed against
Wilkes. There must be, therefore, some better
reason for Sir Charles Wetherall's remaining in
office. How long he may do so we cannot say ; but
we believe he will not retire forthwith.—Morning
Chronicle.

Before entering on the regular discussion last
night, the House of Commons was, as usual, occu-
pied with petitions for and against the Catholic
Claims. Among others, there was one presented
by Sir Robert H. Inglis, from the Synod of ulas-
gove and Ayr, to which he attached great import-
ance, and from which he inferred that the people of
Scotland generally were averse to the present mea-
sate of relief. Lord John Russell recommended his
Boil. Friend to correct his notions, by looking at
an account of the proceedings of a Meeting held at
Edinburgh on Saturday, which was attended by
every person distinguished for his talents and know-
ledge residing in that city, and who ail gave their
support to the petition for the relief of the Romutt
Catholics. The Meeting in question, an account of
which we have copied from an Edinburgh Paper,
affords a very decisive proof that all influential per-
sons in Scotland are disposed to support iklinisters.
The Scotsman says, that " it was perhaps the most
numerous end respectable Meeting ever held under
one roof in Scotland. The large room (in the As-
sembly-rooms), including the Gallery, was com-
pletely crowned, and we should suppose that it
contained more than 1,500 persons." Within two
hours after the meeting separated, upwards of fifteep
hundred gentlemen had signed the petition agreed
to at it. Dr. Chalmers, whose speech at the
Meeting is highly extolled in the Scotch Papers,
and who is a much better authority on the
subject of the feeling in Scotland than Sir Robert
Inglis, obseeves, with much shrewdness • " How
delusive the ieduction often is of the state
of public sentiment, in as far as it is grounded either
on the majority of petitions or on the majority of
signateres. The truth is, that they are the non-
contents, the alarmists who are is motion; and the
contents scarcely ever think of moving but, in the
capacity of counter-alarmists. Meanwhile, if with- '
metical deduction were to be made of all the petie
tioners on both sides of, the question, it would be
found that the great body of the public, the great
body of the population, • were in 3 state of rest—
(cheers)—aid they count with us, net with our op.
por.ents.—(Loud cheers.—We have read of expres-
sive silence ; and this is what their silence expresses.
—(Cheers.)--There may have been a local cfer-
vesce;we here and there; but mainly and through-
out the land, there is a general att./luck of quies-
cence, perhaps the strongest demonstralkon Mat
could be given of the reliance which the people cf
Scotland have en the wisdom and the safety of the
measures now in agitation." With respect to the
sentiments of the Clergy of the Church of Scot-
land, an inference may be drawn from the part
eeken by several of the most distinguished leaders
at this Meeting. But this point was placed in its
proper light by Sir James ikloncrieff, the Dean of
the Faculty of Advocates.
" Another statement (he says) I have heard, that the
clergy of Scotland are adverae to concessions. I wonder at
such a statement; but I need ant vindicate the Church of
Scotland, when I see my reverend friend near me (Dr.
(;halmers)—(tremendous cheering)—wh.;, J trust, will
himself tell you how far he thinks it will be da;.gerons to
the Church of Scotland to admit Catholics to ci/ii officee.
will also read to you a letter from a distinguished minis-
ter, who is prevented from attending here—the Rev. Dr.
Thomson, of St. George's.—(Great cheers.) And are
there not 2nany others of the same opinion? I believe
there are, even within these walls at this moment. But
whether here or not, they live in the knowledge or in the
memory of the gentlemen present—clergymen who have
shown the greatest zeal in defence of the Church of Scot-
land, and against the errors of Popery. I will tell you a
little more on this subject. In the year 1813, this sub-
j,ct was taken up by the Presbytery of Edinburgh, where
: petition was carried against concessions ; but a dissent
was entered by two members of the church on that occa-
sion ; and nobody has since that period made a single at-
tempt to propose a similar petition. In the same year it was
proposed in the General Assembly of the Church of Scot-
land to petition against concessions ; hut it was met by a
counter petition, asserting the great principle of religious
toleration, but at the same time desiring that Parliament,-'
would take measures to guard the Protestant interests from
any evil consequences. This was the Resolution of the
Ceneral Assembly, passed, not unanimously, but by such
a decided majority of opinion, that no one proposed to
bring the question to a vote. I am entitled to say, there-
fore, that the ()Pinion of the Church of Scotland stansiz
otherwise thasi what has been stated—(cheers). There are,
n' doubt, son.e individuals among its Ministers, actuated, I
believe, by a conscientious belief, but halluenced by the pre-
judices of early education, a strong feeling of jealousy of an
intercourse with the errors of Popery, and a Joe of their
own institutions and the truth of the Bible, who are still
adverse to the measure. But I am not from that to infer
that the great body of the Clergy are against it."
The discussion on the second reading of the Ca-
tholic Relief Bill was not .cceseluded last nielt t. At
an early period of the debate Diu Edward Knatch-
boll offered himself to the House. As men go, in
the minority, of 160, Sir Edward may be ronsiiiered
a distinguished chief. A silent vote, which was
the support he gave in the more palmy days of No
Popery, would no longer be pardonable; and, in-
deed, he deemed it necesoesy to account for his si-
lence during the late discussion, 0 jie had been
unfortunately deprived of the,opportunity of stating
his opinions in the course of the former discuesUe
by indisposition. He felt -(he said) that there
wag a duty paramount to every other -considera-
tion, and in tke performance of that duty, and in
the fulfilment of the trust reposed he him by his
constiteents, he now presumed, humble as he
was, to O'er a few obseevation." We can-
Lot say that las observations threw much light
on the question. The Hon. Baronet, both last
night and formerly, seetnetl, to think that the ques-
tion hinges on the merits of lire reel; for his argu-
ments went chiefly to show—not t;eat any other
policy than that now recommended bi( 'Afinisters
would conduce to the tranquillization and itopeeve-
merit of Ireland, but that circumstance. were DIA
materially changed since Mr. Peel opposed the
claims of the Catholics. This argumentum au ,Ito-

minent is but an ittAtatesman-like view of the ques•
tion. Ireland (says he) is not more disturbed now
than it has already been. But is there any reason
for-Ireland continuing disturbed ? mad does he at-
tempt to show that Ireland will ever be otherwise
than disturbed, so long as the present state of things
continues ? Ireland has always been in a disturbed
state; ergo, Ireland ought always to be in a dis-
turbed state. Precious logic this, no doubt ! Let
us see how the Hon. Baronet meets Mr. Peel's ques-
tion. " The Right Hon. Gentleman had asked, if
Honourable Gentlemen were not satisfied with what
he proposed, to tell what ought to be done.—(Cries
of hear, hear, from Mr. Peel.)—He would meet
that part of the subject, for he was disposed
to argue the whole of it in a fair manner. First, he
must remark this was a new state of things.—(Loud
cheers, in which Mr. Peel joined.)—He must also
remark that this was not a fair question ; for it is not
incumbent on Honourable Members of that House
Ito propose any measure." No, it is not incumbent
on Honourable Members to propose any measure.
It is not incumbent on them to consider whether
any measures will heal the wounds of a most valuable
portion of the Empire, and ensure the safety and
prosperity of the whole. It is incumbent on them
to prose about the Protestant Constitution of 1688,
without having any regard to the object of Consti-
tutions, namely, the happiness and prosperity of
those living under them; and when Ministers come
forward with a measure which they say the circum-
stances of the country imperiously demand, it is in-
cumbent on them to oppose that measure, not be-
cause it is not called for, but because it is op-
posed to their reading of the Protestant Constitu-
tion of 1688, according to which one-third of the
population must be hewers of wood and drawers of
water to the remaining two-thirds, and the resources
of the latter must be wasted in coercion the
former. This is what passes for reasoning with
the Wrongheads of this country—still, unfortu-
nately, too numerous a class. "It is not incumbent
on Hon. Members of that House to propose any
measure ; and, at all events, Government had no
right to call upon them to propose a measure when
they came down with a measure already prepared,
and placed the House in this situation, either ac-
cept of the measure that we propose, or plunge the
country into rebellion.' " But though it is not in-
cumbent on them to propose any measure where
Ministers say, either accept the measure or plunge
the country into rebellion, it is incumbent on them
to oppose the measure, without being able to show
that the loss of the measure would not plunge the
country into rebellion. Such is the wretched rea-
sorting of the remnant of the old Tories—the only
reasoning that they can oppose to the measure they
combat. The multitude of signatures to petitions
against Concession furnishes another argument—a
never-failing argument against the measure. But
this matter of the petitions is now so completely
seen through, that we will not longer dwell on it.—
Ibid.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

LIVERPOOL.

MONDAY, MA hOli 16. --Wind South.—High
water 3 minutes past eight.—Arrived the Geo.
Canning, Borstal!, from the Cape of Good Hope ; De-
light, Nash, from Sligo ; Sarsfield, , from Dublin ;
Eophernia, Nelson, from Ballitia; Linch, Jenkins,
from Strangfoird.
Sailed—The Wiliiatn Thompson, Maxwell, for New
York ; Geotge the Fourth, Nagle, for Genoa ; Antigua
Packet, Smith, for Demerara ; Paragon, Prezeott, for
Mobile ; Envoy, Blackler, for Havannah ; Plato, —,
for f.ltrleston.

On Thursday laa as the Wonder coach was
on its way from London to Shrewsbury, the axle-tree
broke near to Towcester, and the passengers were thrown
with great violence to the ground. The coachman, Win.
Nate, a steady ;pan and careful driver, was killed on the
spot; and several of the passengers were more or less
injured,—Birrninglrarn

A Clergyman residing not ten miles from
Beverley, was addressing Ida congregation One Sabbath,
not long mince, when, in the course of an address, in which
he was recommending the reading the Scriptures, he took
occasion to quote the interrogatory of Philip to the
Eunuch-,-q tfnulerstandest thou what thou readest ?" when
an old woman, who had listened with unusual attention to
the discourse, conceived that thin personal appeal was di-
rected to her, and with great simplicity teplif...d—" No,
Sir, for my Bible is Black Print, and I never learned
that."— York herald.

--Veterday an inquest was held at the Elephant
and Castle, St, Pancras, on the body of Frances Coulpin,
aged twelve years, the 4iepand victim to the unnatural
cruelty of Esther Hibner and her daughter, the tambour
workers, both of whom are in Newgate, true 1;i114 having
been found by the Grand Jury for the wilful murder of
Margaret Hawse. The evidence, which was long, went to
prove directly,
,a 3 in the former case, that the deceased's
death had been occasioned by ill-treatment and the want of
proper food and nourishment; to n ell effect a verdict
was returned.

THE LAWS OF lipxoun.—A duel was latch,
fought at Strasbourg between two ladies, one French and
the other German, on a quarrel about a young miniature
Iv.ini;er. The combatants met, pistol in hand, and each
attended by a female second. The German was furious,
and. insisted 01J 13ghting muzzle to muzzle ; but the
woman, regulating her eagoluct by the advice of her second,
stood out fur twenty-five paces. They fired together, and
missed. The German then insisted on theip approaching,
and firing until either fell. The seconds, however, now
inlerp:;:sed, and, declaring that the laws of honour were
now sati.sk,e4, took away the pistols, and the affair ended ;
but without any ai,olngy. The fair Frenchwoman, before
leaving the ground, handsomely Inic.fzesed herself not actuated
by any personal hostility ; $‘ she bad th:;uglat- it due to her
honour to take a shot with the Lerman, but, doo.f! that
the affair was at an end, the lady was welcome to the
initdatere pciinter, whom she had forbidden her pre4ence
that very inorplag." The German was a Baroness, and
the Frenchwoman the wife of 3 General of Division.
Weehly Review.

MONS MEG.—After an absence ot nparly 7 1
years, this piece of ordnance was, on Monday, replabell Ft?
the Ceg,tla with all due honours. It was on. the 24th of
April, 11754, that this piece of antiquity left the Castle,
and was drawn down the Canongate, and thence by the
East Road to Leith, where site was shipped on board the
Happy Janet for the Tower of Londoo, where she lay
u4ected, till the Antiquarian Society interested itself
with sneeesS to get her restored to her ancient domicile.
Some time ago we mentioned her arrival and landing at
Leith from the_ City cf ,Edinburgh steam-packet, whose
proprietors gave her a gratnitens passage, since which
time she has lain in the Naval Yard. 4s it was generally
ko.own that Monday was the day fixed upoa La; her re-
moval, a great concourse of spectators assembled. 4.
troop of the Thied Dragoon. Guards, a party of the Royal
Artillery, and a strong detachment of the Seventy-eighth
Highlanders, all under the direet;on of Major Broke,
Assistant Quarter Master-General, were in 14,teradance to
escort Meg to her old quarters, which, at ten niinntep
past twelve, left the Naval Yard, drawn by ten horses,
eleaed with r,ihan4s and evergreens, the two leading horses
being rode by two drys, -dressed in tartan, and carrying
broadswords. The line e-f mawal, was that adopted on the
landing of his Most Gracious Majesty, vie. by Leith-walk,
York-place, and St. Andrew-square, and-tees *by' the
:.ti.'oeth Bridge to the Castle, where the Royal Standard was
hoisted in honour of the occasion, the gates being closed,
and all other eeretaemies being duly observed. At half-
put one o'clock the etlyancedgnard gave notice of Itfeg's
approach, whep she was yeeleented by tea kearty cheers of
a dense multitude if ell classes, the band of the Prepoes
playing the ". Highland Ladd e," which, ,ern entering the
gate, was changed to " God save the Kiog," She was
gyp drawn to the Argyll Battery, and placed on a i',4%.P1A191
prepue,,t for her reception in front of the Alain-guard-
house. Oueing,the ceremonies of the reception, the Castle I
• had a remarkable lie..e.ly appearance, every place from
whence a view could be obtained 14egfilied by persons of
the higher class. • One numerous grim) had t:..,!:en their
,;,action on the rock a little beyond the Barrier:gnartie
house, tineeeecious, probably, that they stood on the iden-
tical spot occupied
,-,y Meg in former times. There were
A number of carriages on the II:ll, among which was that
of ;-.4e Countess of Hopetimn, the rest chiefiy b4onising to
military pezcaooe. The day was fine, and t.tie bells el Si.
1 Giles lent their aid to enliven the gay scene i nor most
we omit to state, that a flag was ilivlayed. from the tog of
.Marshall's Panorama, who also fired guo,; i 4 honour of
.taws occasion. The Celtic Society, to the number of about
100, dined together in the evening, in the British Hotel,
Sir,,Walter Rot, io the chair,.....9laegow Herald.
- -

ON THE MUSLIN MANUFACTURE OF

In a late Number of the Precurseur de Lyon, an
able and enlightened Journal, we find an article on
the subject of the decay of the Muslin Manufacture
of Tarare, a place of great importance, which may
be considered the Glasgow or Paisley of France.
This article is instructive to us in more than one
respect. The manufacturers of Tarare are pro-
tected to the extent of prohibition; but English
muslins being from 50 to 70 per cent. .cheaper, the
prohibition was useless ; for a difference to such
an extent sets all regulations at defiance. The
smuggler appears the moment the difference covers
his risk. The manufacturers have, therefore, been
completely ruined, notwithstanding the aid of the law.
Again, we have here the same game which has
been played in our silk manufacture. The weavers
of Tarare are at the mercy of the spinners of fine
yarns, who have a monopoly, and profit by it. If
the weaver could have obtained yarns as cheap as
the English' weaver, he could have stood the com-
petition ; just as if the English silk-weavers were
not at the mercy of the throwster, he could produce
as cheap as the French silk-weaver. The throws-
ters in England, and the spinners in France, are
protected at the expense of the weaver, and the
consequence in France has been that the weavers
have been ruined, and the ruin of the spinners has
followed. In like manner, in England, the throws-
ters must stand or fall with the weavers; and no-
thing can be more absurd than the attempt to pro-
tect themselves at the expense of the weavers.
So sensible were the French Ministers of the fin-
portanee-of cheap yarns to the French manufacturers,
that they connived at the smuggling of English
yarns. But the supply was irregular as well as
costly, and the manufacturer was often obliged to
work up yarns of an inferior quality, or furnished at
a monopoly price, to keep his looms going.
The advocates for prohibitions may see from this
the absolute impossibility of excluding foreign goods,
whenever the difference of price makes it worth the
smugglers' while to import. The only security
which the manufacturer can have must be derived
from the price and the quality of his commodity.
All else will only end in disappointment.
Let cur silk manufacturers take warning from
the example of France, which has tried the system
of prohibition, and failed. All that could be done
in the way of rigid execution has been tried. The
sooner our people abandon the notion that Govern-
ment can aid them, and rely on themselves, the
Letter will it be for them. When they are told of
the evils of free trade, let them think of Tarare.

" The evils under which the different branches of the
cotton manufacture in France have been suffering for some
months have been felt in a deplorable manner at Tarare.
This town, lately so flourishing, is depopulating every day ;
a third of the houses is uninhabited. The numerous work-
men who found in its environs a productive industry are
reduced to seek other means of existence—for the masters,
in order to avoid losing the wrecks of their fortunes, are
forced to shut up their factories.
This state of things is occasioned by the competition
of foreign muslins, which are delivered 50 and 70 per cent.
cheaper than those made in France—an enormous diffe-
rence, which allows the smuggler to brave every risk to in-
undate our markets with them.

" The spinners complain bitterly of the decay of the
muslin manufactures ; they cry out against the non-execu-
tion of the prohibitory laws ; perhaps they are even desirous
of adding to their rigour. This is the history of those en-
gaged in most of our manufactures, who see no remedy JO'
their sufferings but the continuation of the system which
ills brought them to the pass in which they now are.
If the spinners would only reflect, and if the Govern-
ment could make a proper use of facts and profit by ex-
pel knee, nothing would be more conducive to the bring-
ing about a good result than what is passing at Tarare.
In the time of the prosperity of that town, every one
knows, and consequently we can say so unhesitatingly,
that a great part o the cotton yarns used in the muslins
of a beautiful quality were introduced fraudulently. The
Government itself 'was not ignorant of this, and shut
its eyes, 'because it felt that the prosperity of that indus-
trious town was dependent on this connivance. But the
cottons reached the manufacturer only after being loaded
with a very considerable premium on the introduction.
The manufactnrer was besides often forced, to keep his
looms going, to make use of French cotton yarn, of whirls
one or two houses had a monopoly, from causes that it
would take up too much time to enumerate here ; and
which, on that account, they sold at a very high price.
The consequence was, that the goods of the manufacturers
of Tarare were produced at a higher price than the same
goods of Swiss or English manufacture. However, thanks
to the prohibition, they stood the competition when the
consumption was active. But the difficulties under which
ail classa are I,,bouring haying reduced the demands, per-
haps also the introduction of goods of foreign manu-
facture having increased, the spinners and weavers
have both seen their factories struck with sterility at the
same One, under the protection of laws which prohibit
ell competition.
f‘ How happened it that the Government, which bad
gone so far as to tol;:rate contraband, in order to prevent
the ruin of a branch of industry in which immense capi-
tals were embarked, and which employed a great number
of hands, was not impelled by good sense to take the last
step—that is to say, to prevent the free entrance of flue
cotton yarns, necessary to our muslin manufacturers! The
cause, undoubtedly, wad sopcitude for the spinners of fine
yarns: But we have shewn that this solicitude was the
ruin of the spinners themselves. They have fallen under
the weight of their monopoly.
" The partisans of commercial restrictions ought at least,
if they wish to be consistent, to calculate the degrees of pro-
tection which they pretend to grant to a branch of industry,
so as not to destroy it, like a gardener, who in order to
hasten the development of a shrub inured to our latitude,
,hold place it in a hot-house, of which the temperature
was equal to that of Africa. Now this is precisely what
they have done for fine cotton yr.Ftsl introduced here by
one or two houses ; they wished to extend it ; but instead
of attaining the end they proposed, they have created for
the advantage of these two houses a monopoly which over-
yilaelma them. _ .

We havi, often said we do not demand too sudden in-
novations, because regard is due to the capitals embarked
on the faith of an improvident 'Legislature, and we should
willingly adopt, as a transition to a state of more complete
liberty, some views which have been communicated to us
Qn !!;,; subject by a manufacturer of Tarare.
n put ‘7ld to the contraband, which prospers by
means of the diqerence cip;i73 of our muslins and foreign
muslin, to restore some activity t 4 ti.e ipinning factories,
he thinks that cotton yarns should be adinitted under a
graduated duty, combined with the premiuM of assurance
which the contraband pays for the introduction of the ma-
nufactured goods:
cry this means (says he), the spinners will be assured
that tie yarn only ',yip be introduced which they can-
not produce, and they will enjoy all the duty-laid
the productions of their foreign rivals, Upsides the protits
which they may make like the latter, for it is certain that
they have the same advantages; the raw material at the
pr;ce, workmen equally intelligent, and the workman-
ship, perhaps, dear.
" The weavers of Tarare have attempted the per-
fection of India in the beau clair, being tho,l I.;Me to sell
their goods at the price at which foreign goods can be in-
trnduc,4 into France, loaded with the premium to the
smuggler, will th,:m pal consumers who shall no lOngr
have an interest in running any risk; the consumers will
apply in preference to the French weavers', who will Cm.
ploy the spinner ; then there will no longer be any con-
traband ; on the contrary, great and fresh activity in the
two branches of the cotton manufacture.

‘,ft The interest of the spinners is, then, to unite
with the weavers; apt; to persecute them, as they
have endeavoured to do, bec:aate tun iWttcrhav” pre-
f rred doing nothing to continuing to ruin thOniaelves,
by losing, as was the case last year, 50 per cent. for the
.64;.-..:At of the spinners, who did not supply the fourth
yirt of the yaii.o:rzeessaly for the manufacture of the mus-
ins of France.?

These reflections are very modere.te,ami
Mare in 'rePmlPcing them here thht they appear to
us very generous. • If, in,cite4d of contenting meal-
selves with such a compromise, the fine Spihncrs
were to protest against the slightest modification of
he Custom-house Law; if they were to employ
even Sh4mein; manceuvres to make the manufac-
turers of Tarare believed-4:4 they were on the point
of diminishing their supply tine-halt; anr,i ;f Oey
were thus to succeed in preventing them from 'ex'
posok; all their embarrassments to the Commission
of Inquiry, they void strangely mistake their own
interests, for it is probable that in a -;.c;:.:/ short time
K.uch faVourable conditions will not be offered to
them. They ,ciniot, therefore, 'do betel.. than tO
,
content thernselyes with Neff/i.