The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-10 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION.

We quote the following from the Chronicle:-
" We yesterday noticed two of the three Prize Essays
on Agriculture and the Corn-law, published by the
National Anti-Corn-law League. We reserved for
to-day that of Mr. Greg. This gentleman has com-
prised within a few pages the marrow of this great
question. We cannot help thinking that the exten-
sive distribution of his essay among farmers and
labourers must produce the most powerful effect on
them, and that minds the least accustomed to pro-
cesses of reasoning must be struck with the facts
which he brings to be bear upon the question. On
one point, of the greatest impostaxce with refer-
ence to the tranquillity of the country at this
time, the facts urged by Mr. Greg are of paramount
importance. The agricultural districts are great
breeders of human beings; but notwithstanding the
immense addition to the produce of the soil within the
last forty years, the great number of Inclosure Bills,
&c., the number of hands employed in agriculture
does not increase. There is always in the agricultural
districts many more hands than can be employed; but
it would be frightful to think of what the state of the
country must have been, had not employment been
found in our manufacturing towns, every year, for
vast numbers of the persons reared in the rural dis-
tricts. But by the law of England,. every human
being must be maintained, whether employed or not,
and the large addition which, if' the manufacturing
towns be closed against immigration, must be made
to the unemployed, must in a very few years create
a social revolution in England."
On the subject of Irish education, the .Post re-
marks as follows :—" We feel strongly the great need
of a Church of England system of education in Ire-
land, and we therefore intreat all who can afford to do,
so, to contribUte to the funds of the Irish Church
Education Society. The Government will not give
its aid to education in the principles of the Church of
England. We call upon the people to discharge, so
far as they can, that duty which the Government does
notconsider to be a duty.. Our English readers will see,
from a perusal of the admirable address of the Bishops,
that in encouraging the Irish Church Education Society,
they run no risk of encouraging that drunken fury
of hatred towards the religion of the great mass of
the people of Ireland, which for so long a time was
the disgrace of Irish Protestantism. Whatever is to
be said of the political priests, the mass of the people
of Ireland have a sincere veneration for religion, erro-
neous in some points, and clouded with superstition,
though it be. We ask for nothing to swell the tide
of political hatred to the sincere piety of Ireland.
God forbid. We only ask that such of the poor of
Ireland as are members of the Church of England,
may not be left a prey to ignorance and neglect, be-
cause they are conscientious, and desire to be taught
the doctrines of their own Church, and to escape from
el the snares which they believe are everywhere set
by Romanism."
-The Times, alluding to certain speeches made at
recent agricultural meetings, observes :—" It is as
satisfactory to ourselves as it is creditable to these
speakers, that they, the persons directly and most
deeply interested in maintaining the value of their
own property, should be also those who take the, lead
among their party in defending the past, and leading
the way to future relaxations of their own protection.
It is a happy augury when they are seen employing
themselves to calm the apprehensions, and encourage
the exertions, of their less menaced but more prejudiced
dependents: We suspect, however, that their risk is
less than it is fancied. The Duke of Rutland mentions
that the whole importations of cattle, during the three
months which had elapsed since the passing of the
new tariff, have not exceeded one week's average sale
at Smithfield ; and it is, of course, plain that no con-
clusions as to the future prices of grain can be drawn
from that cheapness which the very peculiar circum-
stances of the present moment—the abundant harvest
and the mistaken speculations of the corn-dealers—
have conspired to effect. Be that as it may, we hear
tily rejoice to see that English country gentlemen are
prepared to co-operate, at all hazards to themselves,
in that change of the commercial system, of which the
circumstances of the times, and the current of public
opinion, so distinctly indicate the approach."