The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-21 00:00:00

'G LONDON

As regards the fate of the approaching season, the
deepest anxiety has long prevailed amongst the nume-
rous branches of trade in this great metropolis, par-
ticularly amongst those engaged lathe manufacturing
and vending of articles of luxury .r the hi6her
classes. In this feeling we have de. • sympathised,
knowing not only how ingeniou. • t also with
What labour, are produced those ar estined to
figure in the world of pleasire—and deep dis-
tress prevails, even when the London sc -n is but
, curtailed of a month of its usual duration. Ye need
scarcely remind our readers that the interes iug
.event
which will so happily add to the hopes of the nation,
and to the objects of her Majesty's dearest affections.
, is only expected towards the month of May. Until
then, and for at least a month afterwards, he Ma-
jesty will be obliged to restrict the circle of Royal
hospitalfiz: and society will be deprived of that im-
pulse which our Sovereign has habitually given to
pleasure, no less' with the view to the solid benefit of
the industrious etas:7es than to the more ephemeral
recreation of their superiors.
Under these circumstences we are happy to give
currency to the rumour prevailing in the highest re-
gions of society, that an illustrious lady will be de-
puted to hold the drawing-room during the seasam,
seconded by the ever ready efforts of that most amia-
ble Prince, the Royal Consort. As regards such a
plan being adopted, we entertain little doubt, being•
persuaded that her Majesty, who has so often and so
generously proved her deep interest in the welfare of
the trade of the metropolis, will not forget their inte-
rests under circumstances so threatening to their best
hopes. As to the illustrious lady we allude to, we
consider her being chosen to represent her Majesty to
be the more likely, on account of the recent and
auspicious removal from the Court of a certain Wl-
known intermediary, and of the justly increasing as-
cendancy of one combining the gentlest and most
affectionate interest, with the necessary wivdom and
firmness.—Post.

BARNSTAPLE and NORTH DEVON
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
(From the North Devon Advertiser.)
The annual exhibition of fat cattle, for premiums
offered by the above Society, took place in the Rack-
field at Barnstaple, on Friday last.
r • The show of beasts was very splendid, far surpassing
that of any previous exhibition of the Society.
The dinner took place at Marsh's Golden Lion Hotel,
and was attended by a large party. Viscount
Ebrington presided, supported by his Noble father
Earl Forteseue ; A. S. 'Willett, Esq. ; J. D. Bassett,
Esq.; and many other gentlemen of the county.
The CHAIRMAN, immediately on the removal of the
cloth, proposed " The Queen," which was drank with
the usual honours. After other toasts,
The Rev. J. PTKE proposed " The Health of the
Lord Lieutenant of the County," which was received
with deafening cheers.
Earl FORTESCUE, in returning thanks said, be
hardly need, on this occasion, to repeat the opi-
nions which he had always advocated, that, in the
great and mixed community of which this kingdom
was composed, the prosperity of every interest de-
pended upon a union of the whole.—(Hear, hear.)
Since he last had the honour to address a meeting of
this description, great and important legislative mea-
sures had been adopted respecting the importation of
foreign agricultural produce into this country. It
was no part of his duty, and foreign to the object of
these meetings, either to praise or condemn the princi-
ples by which such measures were carried out—it was
sufficient for us to know that they had now become
the law of the land, and by them our relations i7ith
other countries must be directed. But he woulc;
boldly state, with respect to their mingling political
with agricultural discussion, that we ought, as wise
and prudent men, to hold ourselves ready for further
regulations for the admission of foreign corn. He did
not take his opinion on this subject simply from the
distress that prevailed among the manufacturing
population of the kingdom ; but he thought they mast
look, in the next session of Parliament, for further re-
laxation in the laws for the admission of foreign corn ;
and he would ask those who were in the habit of
watching the political horizon, whether they were not
themselves prepared for further changes ? It was
only this day he had read of an agricultural meeting
in a neiEchbouring county, where he saw with pleasure
the sentiments of Mr. Acland, son of Sir T. Dyke
Acland (the respected Member for the north of Devon,
and the representative of the western division of So-
merset). The meeting he alluded to was at Yeovil ;
and the sentiments delivered by the respected gentle-
man whose name he had introduced were as follow :
—" He would not," he said, " allude to all the measures
of the late Government, but mould confine himself to
those questions affecting that particular interest, agri-
culture, with which the present meeting was connected.
He would say that he had already supported the Go-
vernment on those measures, from the conviction that,
in these times, no class of the community ought to
wish or expect to have such protection as was injurious
to other classes and to the, general interests of the
country; and it was his opinion that all these ques-
tions should be met with great consideration and with
moderation by all parties. But he would observe,
that they must not rely too much upon the legisla-
ture for what was called protection against foreign
competition, for the time was come when the best
security for all interests was an increased intelligence
and perseverance, so that they might produce the
best articles at the lowest rate. This might be taken
to apply alike to agriculture and manufactures, for
these were not times when any class could safely rest
upon their oars, but all must endeavour, if they would
withstand foreign competition, to produce the best
articles at the lowest price. He hoped that what-
ever changes had taken place, or might take place—
he did not know of any further changes in contem-
plation—they would, looking to the balance of in-
terests, work for the good of all." Why did he quote
this ? Only from the satisfaction he experienced at
finding that those sound and just principles
which he had always advocated were supported
by a gentleman for whose opinions he not only enter-
tained the most sincere respect, but who, not twelve
months ago, was of a different opinion—a gentleman,
from the part he had taken in agricultural questions,
to whose opinions he would attach more weight than
to his own.—(Hear, hear.) 'When he saw such in-
telligent persons as this throwing aside their former
opinions, might -he not safely argue the probability,
that greater alterations would take place in the intro-
duction of foreign produce ? It was their duty at
least to be prepared for further changes in this re-
spect. Not long ago he had read an article in one of
the journals of this town on the subject of a reduction
of rents, and the probability that it must take place
throughout the country. He (Earl F.) was the last
person to deny that it was the duty as well as the
interest of the landlord to apportion the rents to the
circumstances of the times. --(Hear, hear.) He
felt satisfied that the exaction of exorbitant rents
was both an injustice to the landlord, and ruinous
to the occupier.—(Hear, hear. At the same time,
however, when he said this e could not say that
a would successfully reduction of rents to any great extent,
- successfully resist the competition of dye fo-
reigner.
It had been proved by experience, that the
lowest rented lands were not always the best culti-
vated ; unduly low rents, lie feared, too often took
from the tenant that stimulus to exertion which was
absolutely necessary ; the landlord, in consulting the
interest of the tenant, would best consult his own in-
terest by going hand in hand with him in draining,
fencing, and in every other mode of improving the
lands they held.—(Hear, hear.) He believed if that
course were generally pursued, the productive powers
of the land would be best developed—he believed that,
by means of giving additional employment to the la-
bourer, and his labour being most beneficially adapted
to the land, the interest of all classes would be con-
sulted, and they would have nothing to fear from any
competition that might be produced by changes of the
law. He had felt it his duty to make these observa-
tions, in no spirit of political party, but from his own
impressions as to the state of agricultural profits ; and
he begged to repeat his thanks for the honour the
meeting had conferred upon him by the handsome
way in which they drank his health.—(The Noble
Earl sat down amidst great applause.)
The CHAIRMAN proposed " Success to the Barn-
staple and North Devon Agricultural Society."
J. D. BASSETT, Esq., acknowledged the toast in a
short but animated speech. He advised them to stick
to the plough ; and, if the members of this Association
acted as they were enabled to do, they would over-
come all difficulties. The Hon. Gentleman, amidst
great applause, proposed " The Health of Lord Vis-
count Ebrington, the Noble Chairman."
The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks.
Earl FORTESCUE rose, and proposed as the next
toast, " The President Elect for the ensuing year."
The Noble Earl said, as he had proposed this toad, he
might, perhaps, be allowed to add, that he hoped the
company would fill a bumper to the health of the
Noble Lord, who, from the time that he became pos-
sessed of property in the county, had directed lig
energies, as a country gentleman, to the benefits
of
agriculture, and all classes residing in his neighbour-
hood could bear testimony to the improvement his
estates exhibited since he possessed them. His Lord-
ship, indeed, was a happy example of what might be
effected by the union of landlord and tenant in the
improvement of agricultural property.—(Hear, hear.)
No one, he felt assured, was more able to preside over
a meeting of this kind; and with those feelings he
begged to propose Lord Clinton's health.—(Received
with rapturous applause.)
Several other toasts were drunk, and the meeting
separated.

DR. Join. TAYLOR.—This individual, so well known
as connected with the late Chartist movement, died on
the 4th inst., in Larne, north of Ireland, at the house
of his brother-irk-law, the Rev. James Smith, rector of
Lslandmagee. , -