The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-14 00:00:00

considerable importation of agricultural produce from
abroad would immediately lead to the abandonment
of the cultivation of a great portion of our inferior
land at home, therefore the best way to encourage
British agriculture is to pursue a system which will very
much discourage BritiSh cultivation. This conclusion
seems to us to be absurd ; but, for aught we know,
it may seem very reasonable to the enlightened gen-
tlemen who have lately addressed agricultural so-
cieties. At all events, it is a legitimate conclusion
from their premises.
The Herald gives this description of city patriot-
ism :—" The citizens of London are exhorted by the
agents of the Anti-Corn-law League to signalise the
forthcoming St. Thomas's Day, by returning to the
Common Council representatives who are violent op-
ponents of the Corn-law. Worse advice could not
be given ; the best qualifications which a Common-
Councilman can possess are a perfect acquantance with
the municipal affairs of the City, and with the wants
of his ward, a high reputation in his private capacity,
and moderation in political opinions. The career of
every red-hot Liberal spouter—of every hungry
Whig-Radical who has of late years successfully sought
the distinction in question, has almost invariably
exhibited an attempt to advance his own personal
interest, by either soliciting some corporate place,
or turning the influence which he has acquired to
his own advantage. Mr. Charles Pearson is now
City Solicitor, Mr. W. Pritchard is now High Bailiff
of Southwark, and Mr. D. W. Wire has repeatedly
selected a Sheriff to step into the emoluments of the
Under Shrievalty. City patriotism is in truth another
name for City jobbing; and if the reputation of the
City of London have, in despite of municipal ban-
quets and culinary displays, somewhat fallen during
the last twenty years, the cause is, that the easiest
access to its Common Council has been political
agitation, not private worth or eminent muni-
cipal fitness. The Corporation of London derives
its present importance chiefly from external causes,
over which it has no control ; it has ceased to
be respected begause of its general excellence, its
internal merits, or its utility to the City. Its Alder-
men are no longer first-rate city merchants! and its
Common Councilmen have ceased to be rising and in-
fluential City tradesmen. There is doubtless much
respectability in the Corporation ; yet does it not
command very much respect. The Institution is
supported from such assaults as the Whigs made on
it ; but descend from the aggregate to particulars,
and respectful sensations are not spontaneously ex-
cited as individual members are noted. Cliguerie
is everywhere observable ; the meetings of the various
wardmotes no more indicate the public opinion of the
wards than the resolutions of the Common Council
testify the views generally entertained in the City."
The Advertiser, in reference to an article in the
Quarterly Review, says :—" Much stress is laid by
the Quarterly on the fact of the Rev. Mr. Massie, of
Manchester, having at a public meeting burned a
copy of Sir Robert Peel's Sliding-scale Bill imme-
diately after its publication ; and while the assemblage
were trampling beneath their feet the flaming leaves
on which the measure was printed, exclaiming—' So
perish all laws which deprive the people of bread.'
Will the Quarterly, or any abettor of monopoly, con-
descend to inform us what there is wrong in this ?
As regards the burning of the Sliding-scale Bill, we
suspect there are thousands, even of those who in the
first instance expected to profit by it, who now wish
with all their hearts that the first copy laid on the table
of the House of Commons by the Premier had taken
fire' on that memorable night,", and been destroyed,
and never heard of more. We are not now speaking of
the injury which that mischievous measure has done
to the country generally, but of the vast number of
individuals, who, in their capacity of corn-merchants,
have at home and abroad been victimised by it. Nor
is this all. We are grievously mistaken if even Sir
Robert Peel himself, the author of the Bill, does not
by this time heartily wish that accident had done for
it, before it was laid on the table of the House, what
Mr. Massie, amidst the acclamations of the crowded
audience by whom he was surrounded did from de-
sign. At any rate it will not be denied that no mea-
sure of the Right Hon. Baronet has done more to
damage his Government in the estimation ofthe country.
What is there, we again ask, in Mr. Massie's exclamation
So perish all laws which deprive the people of bread,'
that is wrong? That book to which Mr. Massie and
allministers of the Gospel lookup with the reverence
due to divine authority, and which in all matters they
take as their guide—that book denounces in the very
strongest terms, and in numerous places, not only the
laws, but the persons of those who deprive, in any way,
the poor of their bread. And surely, so far from its
being; unbecoming in a minister of the Gospel to ex-
press a wish that all laws should perish which with-
hold from the poor their necessary food, it was an act
which equally commended itself to religion and hu-
manity. Nor is it merely because the Corn-laws de-
prive the working classes of their bread, that they are
fit subjects of denunciation on the part of ministers of
the Gospel. These odious imposts are, in myriads of
cases, indirectly the means of withholding spiritual
food, in other words, religious instruction, from the
operative population of our large towns."

MONEY-TRADE-a OMIVIERCE.
A new Association, to be entitled " The St. Giles'
and St. George's Bloomsbury Branch of the National
Anti-Corn-law League," was formed on Monday
evening, to assist in further carrying out the plans of
the League in London.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
Twelve new churches are now building, or are
about to be commenced, in various parts of the
metropolis.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC.
The statement that Mr. O'Connell is about to pub-
lish a "History of Ireland," is denied in a letter by
himself. He has, however, at press, a portion of a
"Memoir on Ireland and the Irish."
THEATRICAL.
The second season of those very popular perform-
ances, the French plays, .-.lt St. James's Theatre, will
commence on Monday, the 16th of next month.

COURT-LramixoNiumn.
The Duke of Wellington is not expected to return
to Apsley House, from Strathfieldsaye, until after the
Christmas holidays.
The Duke of Manchester, according to the latest
letters, intended to pass the winter at Nice, for the
improvement of his health.
Lord and Lady Seymour, accompanied by Lady
Duffoin, arrived in Spring-gardens, on Monday even-
ing, from Devonshire.
Lord Charles Wellesley left Apsley House yester-
day for Chester Castle, to resume the command of the
15th Regiment.
Lord Stanley left town yesterday morning for
Latham House, Ormskirk, Lancashire, the seat of
Lord Skelmersdale.

Lady John Russell was safely delivered on Satur-
day of a son and heir.
Lady Langham arrived in Berkeley-square yes-
terday.
Sir Charles Des Vceux led to the altar, at All Souls
Church, Langham-place, yesterday morning, the Lady
Cecilia Paulet, daughter of the Marquis of Winches-
ter, and afterwards left town for Tunbridge Wells.
MISCELLANZIOUS.
It is suggested, that if there
is to be any rejoicing
on the occaaion of bur victories in China and Affghan-
istan, the Monday and Tuesday succeeding Christ-
mas-day should be devoted to a national holiday; and
that, to render the event more memorable, the autho-
rities should throw open the parks to the public for a
fair and fireworks.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING—(THIS DAY)
LONDON, DEC. 14.—Wind this day at noon,
southerly, fresh breeze and fine.
RAMSGATE, DEC. 13.—The William Hamlei,
from Shields to Guernsey, which put in here on the
Ist inst. leaky, is discharging her cargo.
DEAL, DEc. 13.—Wind S.W. to S.S.W. mod.—
Arrd. Carolina, Quebec. Arrd. from the River,
Pilgrim, for Rio ; Nailer, Maranham ; Ocean,
Sierra Leone; Eleanor, Barbadoes ; Jane Lockhart,
Dominica ; Pakenham, Vera Cruz ; Neptune, Ha-
vanna; Denmark, New Orleans ; Quebec, New York;
Garland, Newfoundland.

BRISTOL, DEC. 13.—Arrd. Anna Jones, Demerara.
SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 13.—Arrd. Oriental steamer,
Alexandria.
COWES, DEC. 13. Arrd. Ellena, London, for
Monte Video.
--Wind S.—Arrd. Syria,
PLYMOUTH, DEC. 13.
Bristol, for Civita Vecchia, with loss of sails, bul-
warks, &c. Arrd. off, America, Perry, Bahia, for
Amsterdam.

FALMOUTH, DEC. 13.—Wind S. S.W., strong breezes.
—Sid. Montrose steamer, Gibraltar. It blew a heavy
gale, with violent squalls from S.S.W, during the
night, but moderated towards daylight.
TEIGNMOUTH, DEC. 13.—Arrd. Rover, Walling,
Newfoundland.
OFF MARGATE, DEC. 13.—Gratitude, Harvey,
Cape of Good Hope, with quarter boat stove, galley,
&c., washed away, having experienced a gale from
W. to N.W., in lat. 39, long. 32.
DUBLIN, DEC. 10.—Arrd. Cynthia, Crag, Deme-
rara ; Ariel, Clements, St. Sebastian.
KINGSTOWN, DEC. 10.—Arrd. Wanderer, St. Lucia.
SHIELDS, DBC. 11.—Put back, Crowley, for Ham-
burgh, after being on Blyth Rocks.
LIVERPOOL, Dac. 13.—Wind S.S.E.' moderate.—
Arrd. Jane, M'Donald, Africa, left Corsica, Oct. 8 ;
Mary Ann, Saunders, Antigua ; Venetia, Vickers,
St. Andrew's • Pride, Montgomery, Quebec. Arrd.
off, Agnes Gilmore.

RAMSGATE, DEC. 12.—Arrd. Sally, of Dover, with
loss of sails, rigging, &c., having been run into off the
South Foreland.

BRIDLINGTON, DEC. 12.—The Scotia, from New-
castle to Rouen, went ashore in here, but was as-
sisted off and proceeded.

A verdict of " Manslaughter " has been returned
against Gabriel Cook, for the murder of Wm. Mann,
at Cambridge, and he stands :committed to Norwich
Castle for trial at the Lent Assizes.