The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-24 00:00:00

THE FAIRS AND THE TARIFF.

The tariff of Sir Robert Peel is beginning to get
ito extensive operation, and • it is at once curious and
h nportant to notice its results with reference to the
recent fairs throughout the country. At Hay fair
the 're was an abundance of cattle, and they were sold
from 25 to 30 per cent. lower than similar stock
NI ta•e at the same period of last year. At Leicester
ca ttle fair, the prices of sheep and beasts fell greatly,
ima the g,raziers and farmers blamed Sir Robert Peel
in o very -weasured terms. One said " Sir Afatok
was ;the devil himself;" whilst another replied, " No,
but -4 ie devil will have him." The very abundant
frait, .and, above all, apple season, which we have had
this ye. ar, has so much brought down the price of
cyder, t hat at St. Matthew's fair, at Holsworthy, that
beverage was sold at the pound's mouth at seven-
pence per gallon, by the hogshead. It is greatly to
be deploret; that thi.s wholesome and palatable drink
is not more generally adopted by the whole com-
munity. It js cheap, healthy, and favourable to la-
bour and exeret.e. It is also a national drink, and
onl.y inebriating when indulged in to great excess:
It is also to be regretted that the Excise duties
on cyder and on Il4tish wines are not wholly re-
moved. That removal w ould give a taste for national be-
verages of a light and pleasant character, alike cheap
and: desirable. At Tottington fair, it would seem that
the cattle maintained their prices, and that the sellers
were better satisfied than the public. The Canterbury
Journal, which supports Conservative, or rather,
Tory principles, finds fault with the working of the
tarifla It says that the country shopkeepers will not
give the public the benefit of anything like the re-
duction which has been made in the duties by 'a cor-
responding abatement in the prices of the articles of
the most ordinary consumption. This we readily be-
lieve. Egotism will produce the same results with
reference to country shopkeepers as with every one
else. For instance, in the price of coffee, the duties
were reduced from Is. 3d., ls. 9d., and 6d. per pound,
to Bd. and 4d., and yet the reduction to the consumer
who buys that article retail of his grocer is not more
than 30. per lb. But whose fault is this? That alone
of the public. If those shopkeepers were encou-
raged who give to the public the benefit of the
reduction, and if those who refused so to do were de.
soted, there would soon be an end of all such
legal. frauds. In fact, the public have it in
their own power. to bring this matter to a
prompt ,and satisfactory adjustment. But to
resume the D'ibject of the tariff and the fairs. At Hull
fair, the tarsi did not pull prices down as it has done
in Scotland aid Ireland. At Calder fair, animals of
all sorts were difficult of sale, even at ow prices—,
and, alas! servaaV wages were much diminished.
This is a serious evil, and one to which we purpose
calling specially, on 5011i0 early occasion, the attention
of the public. It has often grieved us to think what
very low wages are earned by our female domestics.
But, according to the Caledonian Mercury, at Calder
fair good female servants could' only procure from 21.
to 2l 10s. per annum ! When compared with the
wages paid in Europe generally to persons in the same
cc ndition of life, these prices are not more than one-
fourth, and are wholly inadequate for the purposes of
cleanliness :said health. At Redruth fair, the Falmouth
Packet observes, the prices were fully 10s. per cwt.
less than at the same fair last year. At Presteign
-fair, the rates were depressed. Atitoss,the cattle %ire
numerous, and the p„ices greatly- reduced. The .13oFfon
Free Press observes, that7as compared with the prices
obtained in October last 7e4r, the reduction on cattle
would vary from 3/. to Si. per head. The Cavbrian,
in speaking of the St. Clear's Xichaelmas fair, says
that the prices were much lower than thole of .last
year, owing, it is supposed, to the tariff, The Western
Times, when speaking of the great fair at Axminstety
remarks, " On the whole, the fair was very dull, and
many sales of stock were effected at an actual 'pecu-
niary loss to the sellers. The tariff, and • other Tory
blessings, were subjects of general grumbling, and the
Government, as the author, got_roughly handled. The

...
Carnarvon ircrald bag an article headed " The Tories'

Tariff," which says that—
" A gentleman farmer, not two miles from"Aberyst-
with, purchased at Liedrod fair, in October, Ig4l,nine
head of cattle, and kept them well with turnips, hay,
&c., during the winter, and on excellent grass through
the summer ; and at the last Liedrod fair, held on the
ith inst., sold the nine, and had only realised to his

pocket for their excellent keep the sum of lls."
No great profit, certainly ; but still we applaud the
principle of the tariff. We know the farmers and
graziers complain. But when were they in the habit
of pursuing a different course ? The weather, the
taxes, rents, the markets, foreign stock, non-protec-
tion, &c., are always the pegs on which these
gentlemen hang up their complaints and their sorrows;
they have now one more, and that is the tariff—and

yet, in spite of all that, we approYe highly of Sts prin-
ciple.—Atlas.

It having been officially announced by Government
to the Board of Customs that a Special Commission
will immediately be formed with the view to the full
investigation of the " Frauds upon the Revenue," the
mode in which the functions of the Board and other
matters of public importance have been exercised, the
inquiry that has recently occupied so much interest
in mercantile and trading circles, has been terminated.
There is a general wish expressed in the City that
this special investigation, about to be commenced by
order of her Majesty's Government, should be in open
court, thus gig ing the public press without having
the fear of the law of libel before them, the
opportunity of stating the commercial houses who have
participated w ith certain employees of the Customs in
defrauding the revenue. The principle of secret
compromises by firms discovered to have been in the
possession ofsniuggled goods, ought not, it is asserted,
uinperwith waitingan.
to be tolerated any longer. The vvelfare of the honest
trader, as well as the revenue, demand that the names
of all—and there are not far short of a dozen wholesale
frauds—should blteill3urblaicslybeginifenm, ilanecid the moat
thhoeussee houses spokenauds_
for the presentation at the Special Commmiestsrioopi
are I
ready mode of effecting this object, vvithrrohuet
metropolis,
be
b y
ofth e
the investigation
fraudslg al
ttelhroasnt
Report
being made openly, and not in camera.
to Parliament, will
tile and trading classes, not only of the..
but of the country generally,
greatest interest for a full exposure cooking with. the
have, been for so long a period
public revenue. In almost every committed upon the
ject of conversation.—Ohser. circle this is a sub-
ject
Mr. Henry Betty has b
ceiter stage during the been playing on the Wor-
greatly to the laurels art week, where he has added
different country ready acquired by him in the
in speaking of
his towns, The Worcester Chronicle,
performance of Hamlet, says,
" Possessing, as Mr..
quisites for a tra d. Betty does, all the physical re-
quisites a lofty and commanding sta-
ture, a graceful ge
full of ex '
and well-proportioned person, a coun-
tenancepression, and a powerful voice, will'
much flexibility
of tone, it would seem strange if
there should • • •• •
exist any possibility of his failing in the
walk to which he has devoted his talents." Our con-
temporaryth then praises Mr. Betty more partieulirly for
e Intellectual capability so apparent in all his act-
ing, and, after going through the whole I
p a-y, and
pointing out Mr. Betty's advantages, adds—,, The
performance throughout was chaste, correct, and im-
pressive; the modesty of nature was never over-
passed. There was none of that ranting which,
grieve to say, Mr. Charles Kean has not °yet correctedwe
altogether, and in which, too frequentl'. for
his
) . re-
putation, that accomplished actor permits .himself to
indulge. As a whole, we were with delighted•
th Mr.
Betty's performance ; we look upon our
diction, that he would be the rising fornr pre-
star of the thea-
trical firmament, as already accomplished."
WILMA M WORD MORT 11. IVin .1V ordsworth, Esq.,
passed through Kendal on Thursday morning
his way home, front. . last on
a visit with the Howard family
at Levens Hall. The last
three years have made lit- •
tle-change in the
pale, he still •
w great poet's appearance. Though
alk s with his accustomed energy and
briskness.— Kendal
Mercury.