The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 23, 1841.

people—which is an absolute matter of life or death to
thousands—which vitally concerns the two great
national powers of commerce and agriculture—and
which goes far, to determine the question whether there
shall be content or discontent, distress or prosperity,
peace or convulsion throughout the country ;—a debate
of this substantial, paramount importan,e is, according
to Mr. MONCKTON MILNES, a mere empty talk about a
shadow ! Now if the Corn-law question he in truth a
shadow, it is at any rate a most ominous one, for it is thrown
from thunder clouds, which, if not seasonably averted, will
ere long burst in storm and tempest far and wide over the
face of the country. We believe the Hon. Member is
the only man in England who would thus flippantly ex-
press himself respecting a question, the vast conse-
quences involved in which have not been equalled since '
the days of the Reform Bill. A shadow, indeed ? Is
Mr. MoNcxTow MlLivEs deaf or blind, that he can
neither see the tokens, nor hear the warnings, of
the coming tempest ? Is the stern, deliberate,
progressive agitation in the manufacturing districts, a
mere trifle in his estimation ? Is there nothing signi-
ficant in the hints lately thrown out about " passive re-
sistance ? " We tell this very superficial gentleman,
that the materials of combustion are slowly but surely
collecting in all quarters of the country ; that deep and
bitter discontent is eating, like a cancer, into the very
heart of the community ; andthat nothing will allay this
discontent, but the total overthrow of that gigantic mono-
poly, to discuss which is—according to Mr. MILNES—
to battle about a mere shadow ! But not content with
this flippant assertion, the Hon. Member proceeded to
observe that he " had the consolation to know that
scarcely one clergyman of the Established Church had
degraded himself hy taking part in the agitation of the
Corn-laws !" What, does a Protestant clergyman de-
grade himself by endeavouring to procure cheap food
for the people ? Is it to his discredit, if he endeavours,
by opposing an iniquitous impost, to bring peace and plenty
into the cottage of the poor man ? This is any thing
but apostolic doCtrine. The early pastors of the Church
would never have countenanced a notion of this sort, but
deemed it their first and most imperative duty to be the
benefactors of their flocks, in deed as well as word.

Lord ABERDEEN in the House of Peers, and Sir B.
PEEL in the House of Commons, on Monday night, stated
that France had declined for the present to ratify the
Treaty for the suppression of the slave trade. Of course
there was a careful abstinence from assigning the motives
for this conduct on the part of France by the members of
the Government; but as no such discretion is imposed upon
public journalists, we may state that it is entirely owing
to the feeling that prevails throughout France against
conceding a right of search. Jealousy of the honour of
their flag, not sympathy for slavery or slave-dealers,
actuates the French people in protesting against the
ratification of a Treaty which aims at one
of the noblest purposes of combination among Go-
vernments. The French King and the French
Government would gladly ratify the Treaty of
Which Lord PALMERSTON assigns them half the honour
of the conception, but the national will is opposed to it,
and the Ministry is not strong enough to cope with it
upon this question. Those who have attended to the
debates in the Chamber of Deputies upon the address
and to the opinions of the public press of every
shade of opinion can have no doubt of this. The French
people , entertain the erroneous impression that our
Government only promotes the suppression of slavery
with a view to increase our naval superiority ; and it
was to remove this error that Lord BROUGHAM so elo-
quently and so earnestly asserted that the sole and single
desire to suppress slavery, was the only motive of the
Government, and of every individual in this country, in
calling for the ratification and faithful execution
of. this Treaty. We greatly deplore whatever
may have the etfeet of delaying the total suppression of
slavery by a single hour ; but, at the same time, we are
bound to admit that the French Government was called
upon to pay the deference which it has done to the strong
expression of public opinion.

On the motion, of Mr. MILNES, the copy of the war-
rant for the committal of WILLIAM CARLTON to prison
for neglecting to attend Divine worship at Butterworth,
in the county of Lancaster, watt.on Monday night laid upon
the table of the House of Commons. The warrant
states that Wm. CARLTON was convicted of not attending
church on the 28th of June, being Sunday ; that
the Magistrates, Mr. C. ROYDS and Mr. JAMES 'TAYLOR,'
sentenced him to pay a fine of one shilling,
and fourteen shillings costs, and that having neither
money nor goods, the poor man was ordered to be kept
in New Bailey prison, Salford, tilt the fine and costs
were paid, which was virtually sentencing him to im-
prisonment for life. Atter being kept several weeks in
confinement, the case was reported to the inspectors
of prisons, by whom he was releases'. This 'monstrous
act of oppression will lead to one good result—the law
under which this victim of hypocrisy and cant was con-
victed will now be repealed. Nothing accelerates the
abolition of bad laws_ko much as their rigid enforce-.
ment. The only thing to be regretted is that the
victims of their injustice are not selected from
among the law-makers. Were all the Peers sand
Members of the House of Commons, who were
absent from public Worship on Sunday last, sent
for a month to Coldbath-fields' House of Correction, it
would be an easy task to count the divisions on the
Corn-laws. But though the law of cant is in danger,
the age of cant is notyet gone. On moving for the
copy of the warrant now before us, Mr. MILNE/3 gravely
apologised for raising a levelling hand against the legal
sanctuary of humbug ; and Sir JAMES GRAHAM, with
a gravity equally intense, but ten times more ridiculous
for its insincerity, talked of the serious deliberation with
which the Government would approach a subject of such
great responsibility. The people out of doors are not to
be imposed upon by such nonsense as this, The cant
of Parliament is now universally treated with derisive
contempt by the country.

There is a complete dearth of news in the French
Journals. We quote the only extracts from them of any
general interest :

Several Journals have announced that the valiant Count of
Morella had arrived, or would shortly arrive at Paris, to place him.
self at the head of a new military movement against the present
Government of Spain, by a union of the two great parties which
that Government has successively combated. There is no truth in
this report. Cabrera is still at Lyons, and is net at all engaged
with the projects which several of the Journals and public reports
have attributed to him:—Gazette de France.

The Journal du Havre says," We have received by the Ajax
accounts from New Zealand, dated the 3d of September, 1841.
At that time the colony of Akarve, under the direction of M. de
Belliguy, was in a satisfactory state of improvement.
" The Aube corvette, Captain Lavand, which had rendered the
most important setvica" 3n-these seas, was preparing to return
home in November."—Conslitutionnel.

According to accounts from St. Petersburgh of the 27th of last
month, it had been decided the day before in the Council of the
Empires that an iron railway should be made between St. Peters.
burgh and Moscow. It is added that the expense of this undertak.
ing is estimated at forty millions of silver rubles. The funds re.
gutted will be furnished by the banking house of Messrs. Heerkert
and Dufour, at Leipxic, with the guarantee of the Russian Govern.
ment, and at four percent. interest.
The Keeper of the Seals, the Attorney-General, M. Hebert, and
several magistrates were in conference at the Palace from twelve
tar two o'clock to-day.

Count Mole had a long conference this afternoon at the Pavilion
Marsau, with the Duke of Orleans.
The Portuguese Ambassador, after having had a long conference
yesterday with M. Ouizot, went to the Palace, which he did not
quit till a very late hour this morning. This afternoon there have
been numerous visits between- the several legations. The Portu.
guese had a conference between twelve and one o'clock with Lord
Cowley, at the Hotel of the British Legation.—Commerce.

We received last night Hamburgh Papers up to the
18th instant, but they do not contain any news of im-
portance. The King of PRUSSIA left Hanover on the
15th for Berlin. King, BERNAnorrE has deferred his
visit to Norway till summer, on account of his declining
strength.

a very limited business at the Stock Exchange to-day :—Grand
Junction, 184 ; Ditto, Half Shares, 921; London and Bir-
mingham, 168; Paris and Rouen, 15k.
MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, FEB. 21.—Our Market
is very quiet to-day, prices remain without alteration, and busi-
ness very limited :—Manchester and Leeds Quarter Shares,
; Manchester and Birmingham, 28i , Manchester and
Leeds, 73 to 733;; Midland Counties, Quarter Shares, 194 to
20 ; Lancaster and Preston, 30i to 31; Ditto Three-Quartet;
Shares, 181 to 184 ; Bank of Manchester, 4 to 41-
Her Majesty's packet Alert., the last of the West India sail-
ing packets, arrived at Falmouth with a mail on Sunday even-
ing; the dates are from Jamaica to the 19th, Trinidad Bth,
Demerara and Barbadoes to the 9th January. The accounts
from Jamaica, received via New York, a few days back, of the
fire at Kingston, is fully confirmed.
The taking of Comona's fleet in Zispata, on the 15th of De-
cember, is also confirmed.
The following is an extract from a proclamation by Senor
Tono, addressed to his fellow-countrymen :
" Her Britannic Majesty's brig Charybdis, with the object of
avenging the private wrongs of her nation, happily found her-
self with us at the time that, on the 15th December, we at •
tacked the federal fleet at Zispata. Her intrepid Commander, De-
Courcy, engaged and captured the enemy's brig Marceline,
with the gallantry worthy of an Englishman ; and 1 have, in
the name of my Government, ceded to him the said vessel as
his prize, since it is no more than just."
'I he Jamaica papers contain accounts from Venezuela up to
the 30th November, at which period all was tranquil and
prosperous.
The Trinidad agricultural report of December states, that
the past month has been unusually dry, so much so, that in
many places there is great apprehensions of the plants failing.
The canes for the ensuing crop luok exceedingly well, and from
the prevalence of dtought appear very ripe, and will, no doubt,
make superior sugar.

The labouring population is improving in every way, espe-
cially since the abolition of allowances, and the introduction of
moderate wages.

MONEY and tOIVIMERCIAL NEWS.
C
The Stock Market wore a heavy YappUeaErSaDnAceY
again to-day,
and sales were rather pressed than otherwise at reduced rates.
I tis
be
againstsaid that he
the
Bulls,
sa,c caobudn t to be
that
t isse settled
caused
Tusedlle
tshdeamy nextw
to ill
sales in order to meet their differences. We believe, however,
that the public have been operating, and that this has led to
the
cteenmspoel
sr
forr y i
mrem-aectdiiit
tr
fer were to-day marked at a de.
cline•to 84 and 891 ; and for the Account 89 was the only
quotation all day. Exchequer bills were still
rather flat at
20s. to 225. premium, and East India Bonds remained at 7s.
to Bs. premium. Bank, Stock was steady at 16911- to 170, and
East India Stock at 246 f 6-247. The New Three-and-a. Half
periCents. were a shade lower, viz. 98i to 98 and the Three
per Cent. Annuities at 89i to 4. South Sea Stock was at
The Spanish market shows no signs of iniprevement yet. To-
day the bonds were lower, the Actives being 24i to 24-g. 111,1
other Foreign Securities were also flat. Mexican were 34j to
35A-I for thelAs:c; oaunndt.BraCzillitianmbaitan64ll.onpdserAtVugereueaset
New at 3
22e toe
and the Peruvian,
per Cents. at 191/a. Dutch Five per Cents.
were at 102 k to 102-i.
• N
Still only a limited business was doing in Shares. Brighton
Railway Shares were 14i; Gre en.wlc.h j ow), ; Croydon,
Ne,
14;
and
Paris the
and
2i ; Midland Counties, 22 ; North Mi dland. 30i ; and Eastern
NewCR oo a:
en, tn9i
yip
r4eerimk duaimrs. cd. o u
Northn t.
Midland Great
Western brought
National
Bank of Ireland Shares have
mium.
rt en rs a tei of n
the worth
exports s pe
ei specifying
nt
u
been at I discount, and Provincialla
up
pßank
at
led
the advanced
15.dratep,reo-f
the
TbT last h
ee
feplloeswt Foreign
dn day, but Exchanges
ere
keepyvofficiala snree
taul
last:—
'Silver coin to Calais 60,000 os.
Rotterdam........
Bars to ditto
• (From The Sun of Last Night.)
LlytiltrooL COTTON• AIARKIT, FEB. 21.—We have had
an ordinary business doing in the cotton-market to-day. The
sales. comprising
3,500 bales, of which 400 have been taken by
exporters, including 200 Surat, 3id. to 4d.; American descrip-
tions, Sid. to 6d. Prices for all other kinds are without
alteration. ..

The accounts from Demerara wear a very gloomy aspect.
The gallery of the public buildings, adjoining the official apart,
ments of the Governor, is described as being crowded with
labourers, and it is believed that there are but one or two estates
within the counties of •Demerara and Essequibo on which all
the gangs, with the exception of the Portuguese immigrants,
have not struck work. On some plantations violence had been
threatened to the gentlemen owning or in charge of them.
The cause of this outbreak is nothing more or less than au at-
tempt on the part of the employing or planting body to bring
down wages to a rational proportion to the market prices of
produce.
The Stock Markets towards the close of business yesterday
became depressed, in consequence of various rumours of further
failures. Consols declined per cent. upon the opening quo-
tations, closing at 884 89 for Money and the Account, at which
price they opened this morning. Three per Cents. Reduced,
891. - Exchequer bills have also declined, being now 20 to 22
premium.
Spanish- Active Stock, 244 I; Mexican, 344 351; Por-
tuguese Five per Cents., 324 4; Ditto Three per Cents., 1941;
Columbian, 22123; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 524;
Ditto Five per Cents., 1024 4.
The English Stock Market has been steady, with but a mo-
derate business doing. ConsOls for Money have reached 891
during the morning, but are now quoted at 89, both for
money and the account. Three per Cents. Reduced, have
improved, being 894; Three-and-a-Half ditto, 991,; Exche.
quer Bills, 20 22; and Indian Bonds, 7 prem.
In the Foreign Mart the transactions have not been ex-
tensive. Brazilian Stock.is quoted, 644; Mexican Stock, 341;
Portuguese Five per Cents., 324 ; Spanish, 24/ ; Dutch Two
and-a-Half per Cents., 52 ; and the Five per Cents., 1021.
In the Share Market but little has been done, and without
any material alteration London and Brighton are 354 ; Mid-
land Counties, 791 ; North Midland, 691 ; Great Western, 831.
The Hamburgh Mail has just arrived, with letters and papers
of Friday. The exchanges on London are without alteration,
being for bills at two months, 13 64, and for cash, 13 84.
Gold, 4304.
There is an entire absence of news in the City just now, and
all e} es are turned to Parliamentary affairs. It is the opinion
in most quarters that Sir Robert Peel has his plan for the
import duties already matured, and only awaits the decision
upon the Corn question to bring it forward. As there is natu-
rally a very large number of persons interested in the repeal
and medificatitur of duties, some impatience and anxiety is ma-
nifested for the denouement, for the delay acts in the most
prejudicial manner upon every branch of commerce.
Consols, 89 ; Ditto, April, 894 ; Colombian, 224 4 ; Mex-
ican, 341 35; Spanish, 241}
CLOSING PRICES.

LIVERPOOL SItARE MARKET, FEB. 21.—We have to notice