The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-27 00:00:00

keronttVbition

SUN OFFICE Three o'Clock.

We are glad to find that the Licensed Victuallers
throughout the country have shown a becoming spirit
in opposition to the scheme of Mr. PAKINGTON for ex-
tending the blessings of the New Police Act to them,
and the inhabitants in general. A numerous deputa-
tion has been commissioned by the body to come to
London for the purpose of pointing out to the Govern-
ment the hardships and loss of property which such an
enactment would inflict on a class subjected already to
more heavy burdens, and more stringent, or, rather,
despotical regulations, than any other portion of the
community. An application to Sir J. GRAHAM on the
subject we fear would be of little use, for without
exercising his own judgment, he follows the advice of
the Police Commissioners, who are bent on maintaining;
the military character of the new police in London, and
would, no doubt, delight to see it established in every
part of the kingdom. They should at once address
themselves to Sir R. PEEL. Let them state their case
fairly, so as to point out the injury they would sustain
by the proposed measure, and their remonstrances will
receive due attention. lie has no interest in harassing
a body of tradesmen whom no Government can
afford to treat with contempt ; and it cannot
be his policy to imitate the example of the
late Government who did themselves immense injury
by not checking, but, on the contrary, countenan-
cing a set of meddling hypocritical legislators, whose
only delight seemed to consist in annoying their neigh-
bours and interfering with the amusements and esta-
b!iihed habits of the people. Mr. PAKINGTON, who has
this project in view, is Chairman of the Worcestershire
Quarter Sessions, and not satisfied with the vast power
over publicans, given by law to the Justices, is deter-
mined to have them still more at his mercy. He can
have no other object in view. If people get drunk and
create a disturbance, the Justices can inflict a fine. If
landlords encourage such practices, the Justices can
take away their licences. The law as it exists is
sufficiently strong, and the result of his scheme
would only be to confer on the police more power,
to encourage informations, to make the Government
hated, and to annoy the public, and more espe-
cially travellers, by depriving them of the usual
means of obtaining shelter and refreshment. It is of no
use to say an exception is to be made in their favour,
for landlords would have such difficulty in ascertain-
ing who really were travellers, and would be subject
to such annoyance, by informations, that they would be
driven to the necessity of shutting up their houses al-
together during the proscribed hours. We confidently
trust, therefore, that the publicans, not only throughout
the country, but in the metropolis, will unite, and resist
to the last such a wanton interference with their
property and their rights as citizens. If they
only.act in concert, and resolve to reject all candidates
at elections who will not pledge themselves to protect
their interest against such meddlers as Mr. PAKINGTON,
PLUMPTRE, and Sir ANDREW AGNEW, they may
rest assured there will be Ono occasion for a second
deputation to London.

The Duke of WELLINGTON stated, in the House of
Lords last night, that he had never treated the distress
of the country with levity. We never heard the illus-
trious Duke's definition of levity, and therefore do not
understand exactly what meaning he attaches to the
word. Was it treating the distress of the country with
levity to assure the House of Lords that England was
the only country in the world in which a poor man could
Jive comfortably, provided he were industrious, and that
if wretchedness prevailed, the people would find the
cause in their own laziness and vice ? Was this the
way in which it became a great statesman to speak of the
working classes of this country, thousands of whom are
perishing, not because they will not work, but because
they cannot find employment. There is a painful
hardihood about many of the Duke's remarks, whenever
hr has occasion to treat of the distresses of the poor. He
has nut only no sympathy, but he seems to have an utter
contempt for them. This feeling is so strong as to blind
him to the observation of the most obvious facts. It is
nut the unwillingness of the people to work that causes
the distress in Spitaltields, in Paisley, and in Burnley.
They are idle and starving, because such statesmen as
the Duke of WimtalloToN make laws which, by keeping
up the price of food, render our manufacturers unable
to compete with foreigners in the great markets of the
world. More suffering has been inflicted upon the
people of this country by legislation than by all the other
causes of human misery put together. The very vices of
the people have been trebled by the operation of a
vicious and brutalizing system of Government.
We do not, however, mean to imply that the Duke of
WELLINGTON has a greater contempt for the industrious
classes than the majority of the Members of the House
of Lords. The great bulk of his auditors think exactly
as he does, but not possessing his Grace's frankness, they
take care to say nothing about the matter. They
parade a little maudlin sympathy now and then to save
appearances, but, in reality, they care less for the people
than they do about their dogs and horses,

The Madrid journals received are of the 18th inst.
They state that Barcelona was in a very disturbed con-
dition. In fact, a rising in that quarter was momenta-
rily expected to take place. The Carlists are again
endeavouring to kindle the flames of a civil war in the
north of Spain. The conduct of the Northern Powers
in not recognizing the young QUEEN, and so indirectly
sanctioning these appeals of public plunderers to arms,
is at once disgraceful and inhuman.
_ .

On the Madrid Bourse, en the 18th, three bargains
were coneluded in the Three per Cents., at 21i for cash,
and 22* at 60 days, f0r.3,000,000 reals. The transac-
tions in the Five per Cents., 46 in number, amounted to
26,000,000 reals, and were done at 26i- for cash, 26i at
60 days, and with premium, 27a at 40 days, and 27
at 33.

The French journals are still without any political
news of interest. The Committee of the Chamber of
Peers on the Railway Bill has voted for the adoption of
that measure, as passed by the Chamber of Deputies.
It is expected that the Parliamentary session of the
French Chambers will close about the middle of July.
The French Government has fixed the import duty on
linen and linen thread at 12 per cent. The following re-
marks upon this augmentation of the duty is from the
Commerce :
We take note of the promise of M. CuninsGridaine to aug-
ment the duty on English linen threads and linen cloths. We
are partisans neither of monopolies nor of prohibitions ; our
principle is, liberty of commerce ; but we do not urge it to
either despotism or dupery. The English, who
,seek to seize
,on all the markets of the world, are exceedingly anxious for
commercial liberty in other nations, but they grant it to no
person in return. We know what we have to expect for our
wines, our silks, and other manufactured objects. The
protective duties in England amount nearly to prohibi-
tions It is in this state of things that we lay a duty of 10 per
cent. on English threads imported into France; to the detri-
ment of our spinning-manufacturers. We keep up in a cer-
tain measure a whole branch of British industry, and how does
England requite us? In the face of a 10 per cent. duty on
English threads in France, they put on 60 per cent. on similar
articles of our manufacture. Before 1788, France furnished
the English with a great part of their linen cloths, afterwards
the English excluded us from their markets, by establishing the
protecting duty alluded to; at a still later period spinning-
machines were invented, and England seized on them first.
She formed immense establishments, against which the French
manufacturer cannot contend, even if nothing else be considered
than the first outlay in forming establishments, which have
been lone since incurred by England. It is in this state of
things that England maintains a duty of 60 per cent., whilst
ours is only Its per cent. Certainly, we shall be exceedingly
moderate in establishing on English threads a duty equal to the
British tariff, and we trust that, conformably to those ideas, the
ordonnance of M. Cunin-Gridaine ,ll
raise eur duty at least
to 30 per cent. on the value. There und
fioubtedly,
ce our linenn-manuo man of
genre who can propose to us to coolly to the wealth and en-
. sacri.
facture, the natural production of our soil,
croachments of our rivals at the other side of the channel.
A magnificent ball was on Tuesday night given by !heir Ex_
cellencies the British Ambassador and Lady Cowley, in honour
of the birth-day of her Majesty the Que,en
.of England, to
which all the lead;ng, English residents of I alas, and the n‘rtosst.
di,tinguislaed tiheigneis were invited—the company- coilei
ri
ing Russian, Austrian, Spanish, Italian, and,
prestntative of the highest nobility of all the Courts of -
in tact, t
met
rope. Marshal Scult, M. Guizot, and the other Ministers,
the members of the various cm ps diplomatiques, and most of
the gentlemen present; were in their nat:onai uniforms, which
gave a brilliant variety to the scene. The dresses of the ladies
were of the must rich and elegant description, displaying a
gr. at pr..fusion of diamonds and jewellery, among which some
of those worn by Spani.h ladies were of surpassing cost
and b.rillianey, the cited of which was heightened by thou-
sands of wax lights, with which the extensive suite of rooms
re lighted up. The most striking—almost magical coup
(bell, however, was the gallery which runs round the
rooms, and which was on this occasion fitted up with
commodioui divans for the convenience of the dancers
wishing to repose themselves, and filled with plants and flowers.
From this gallery the effect produced by the garden, which was
seen beautifully illuminated with variegated and Chinese
lamps, was perfectly enchantiug. At the further end of the
lawn was raised a triumphal arch, hung with an immense
variety of coloured lamps, and bearing in the centre a crown
and her Nlajesty's initials V.IL, with the Royal arms of Erg-
hind. The supper, which was alike remarkable for its pro-
fusion and elegance, was served at two o'clock in the state
diaaig-saloon, which was handsomely decorated for the occa-
spin, and perfumed with orange-trees in full bloom. Danciir, ,