The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-21 00:00:00

vidual does for the exigencies he will con-
tinue to do for the luxuries of life ;"
but to have food, or the command over

food is the first and chief end and aim of all
human exertions. With plenty of food all other
desirable things, which are only the ornaments
of this solid foundation of a happy community,
will be sure to abound; and where food is not
abundant, no arts, whether they be called fine
or useful, mechanical or professional—no skill of
politicians, no teaching, no bright example even
of virtue in a clergy, will ever suffice to promote
the public welfare. Considering the supply of
food therefore, to be all-important, we hail with
great satisfaction the various efforts which are
now making to improve our agriculture.
Amongst such efforts, we must class a " Prize
Essay of the Wetherby Agricultural Association
on the Application of Rape-Dust, &c., by Joax
HANNAM," the object of which is to show the
great advantage of using such means of fertiliz•
ing the soil. Mr. HANNAM begins his valuable
pamphlet by referring to the chemical principles
of vegetation as far as they are known,
so that he may explain the rationale of the won-
derful effects which different manures have on
different soils. Indeed, they have been so won-
derful, and sometimes so contradictory, that a
pleasing but painful creed has arisen which as-
cribes the virtue not to the manures, but to the
strong faith in the man who uses them, which
brings down on his industry, however directed,
the blessings of Heaven. Modern chemistry,
and our present knowledge of vegetation, by
pointing out the several kinds of nourishment
which plants require, and which the same ma-
nures will not supply in different soils, has done
so.nething to destroy this creed, and to show in-
dustry and faith how they may be sure to succeed.
Into the merits of rape-dust we shall not enter,
being entirely incompetent to discuss them; we
only to direct public attention to one of the
principles set forth by Mr. HANNAM. Notwith-
standing the alarm which was generated by Mr.
WALKER'S theory of population, everybody felt
convinced that there was in nature some con-
trivance, by which, though we did not know
how, productiveness is made to keep pace with
population. The moral means are an increase of
skill an-1 extended division of labour, both of
which are dependent on an increased population.
The physical means have been discovered, we
we think, by LEIBIG, and made plain by Mr.
HANNAM.

It was long ago known that nitrogen, which
abounds in animal substances, is, as Mr. HAN..
NAM says, absolutely essential to the forma-
tion of perfect vegetable structure. Now,
LEIBIG has found ammonia, which is the
product of decaying animal matter, in rain-
water and snow, and gone far to demon-
strate that it is in this form that nitrogen finds
its way into plants. Another element of vege-
tation is carbon, and carbonic acid, which sup-
plies plants with carbon, is the result of respira-
tion. Now, both these elements of fruitfulness
in the soil, or rather of luxuriant vegetation,
increase as man and animals increase, and thus as
the human race is multiplied, the soil becomes
more fertile. The fact of great fertility existing
in conjunction with a crowded population is well-
known; but for the theory and explanation we
are indebted to Laiuiu and Mr. HANNAH.
They have made it clear that the essential ele-
ments of vegetable life are evolved in proportion
as animal life increases; in other words, nature
makes a provision to increase the means of feed-
ing the human race as they are multiplied.

The clerical agitators in the Church of Scot-
land, if they are not remark-able for discretion
and sound judgment, may claim great credit for
powers of invention. Even Mr. O'CONNELL, in
his long and varied political career, has not sur-
passed them in forming ingenious plans for
rousing his countrymen, or keeping up the
spirit of excitement so necessary for the accom-
plishment of his objects. Having carried eman-
cipation, he turned his attention to Parliamentary
reform, and from that to repeal, shifting,
occasionally, the scenes with great dexterity
and judgment. The gentlemen of the north
have stolen a leaf from his book, and
are determined to vie with him in the variety of
their schemes for the abolition of Church pa-
tronage, and the repeal of the union between
Church and State. They began with the Veto
Act, and in their attempts to make that the law
of the land as well as of the Church, they com-
mitted acts of great severity, by deposing and
suspending numbers of their disobedient brethren.
That system was found very inconvenient, and
also very ineffective, for one punishment
prepared the way for ten offences more, going
on in geometrical progression, and the criminals
only became more hardened and stiff-necked.
They saw this was a hopeless task, as they could
not secure obedience to the law without
sweeping from the Church the whole of the
obnoxious race, and that was an alternative
which they could not muster up courage to adopt.
At different times, they have threatened to leave
the Church in a body and preach in wooden
kirks ; at another they Passed a vote of Assembly
denouncing patronage, and drew up a petition of
rights, which unfortunately drew little attention ;
then there was a plan for a roving Commission
in England to enlighten the ignorance of Wes-
leyans and Episcopalians, but this proved the
most abortive scheme of all, for not one of the
missionaries ever passed the border. Driven to
their wits' end they have at least bit upon a noble
device,and have summoned aGeneralConvocation
of the Non-Intrusionist clergy to meet at Edin-
burgh next month, accompanying the summons
with a proclamation that, for one Sabbath at least,
all the churches under their authority shall be de-
serted. So the people are to be deprived of or-
dinances for a time at the bidding of these men ;
and for their sins, and the sins of the land, are
to be laid under an interdict, as was the custom
during the tyrannical and bigotted reign of
Popery in thedarkages. The conduct of THOMAS
A'BECKETT was nothing to this, That prelate,
though as grasping as most of his fraternity, had
some cause of complaint against his Sovereign,
who took the law into his own hands, and he,
therefore, avenged himself by excommunications
and interdicts. But what grounds of complaint
have these clergymen either against the Crown
or the State? and why, in this unseemly contest,
are the religious people alone to suffer ? Such
• conduct -is unwarranted either by law or custom,
and requires the serious consideration of the
Lord Advocate and the Home Secretary. if
they neglect their duty for two weeks; they may
neglect it for a month while;ustsaiupnaedln,iisn,
a nt
their
theyeorf.ti takeo ek
acraere
letfot retain t thtehier
reli-
gious instruction. And for what purpose
do they desert their parishes ? To agitate the
country, to excite the people against the Govern-
ment, and to rail against the Courts of Law and
against the law itself., A vast number of ignorant
people have lately suffered severely for disobe-
dience to the law; and are well educated men,
paid, too, for performing their duty and teaching
the people to submit to the powers that are, to
be suffered to assemble in conclave, and with
impunity make seditious speeches, for which un-
educated and starving men are punished ? If Sir
JAMES GRAHAM follow out his principles, and
mete out justice with an even hand, he will watch
their proceedings, and make no distinction be.
twen them and the Chartist leaders.

Important intelligence has just been received
by Governtnent—namely, that the boy JONES is
returned ! Infinite is the consternation that this
alarming tidings has occasioned in all official
quarters; the police authorities at the Garde-
ner's Lane station-house are at their wits' end
Downing-street " refuseth to be comforted •"
and the Under-Secretary to the Home-office was
seen; yes!erday walking towards Buckingham
Palate in an unusually thoughtful and ex-
cited mood ! In this awful emergency, when
Royalty is threatened with another visitation
by the remarkable youth in question, why is
not a Cabinet Council summoned, and orders
issued to surround Pinilico with a cordon of
police; to double the sentinels at Story's-gate;
establiSh I.alloating.battery on that part of the
lake nearest the Palace; and take up every
youth, " aged eighteen, with ginger whiskers,"