The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-18 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION.

The Times thus congratulates Jonathan on his evincing
symptoms of returning sense and moderation, as regards the
question of the Creole, &c.:—" It is always with pleasure that
we find ourselves able to say anything civil to our transatlantic
relations; and we therefore lose not a moment in congratulat-
ing them upon the appearances of returning composure which
the last news evidence.
,Already from the matter of the Creole
some gleams of reviving sanity seem to be breaking upon their
minds. The Warspite, with its valued freight, then just rising
above their eastern horizon, seems to have cast already a dim
dawn of intelligence' before it. Already Jonathan begins to
wonder how he could have made himself so exceedingly foolish.
The south itself,' say their newspapers, would not go to war
on the issue presented. The only question for the rpotent,
grave, and reverend seigniors' (John Tpler at their head!)
who form our first Executive Council is, how to back out from
the ground just taken in the most graceful manner.' Doubt-
less it is a dilemma, and a perplexing one—the more so, be.
cause it is entirely and exclusively of their own making. Eng-
land has had no share in the clatter. England has simply ab-
stained from interference with the cargo of slaves."
We take the following from the Herald :—" We do not
wonder that the propositions to admit fat cattle, at the low duty
of 11. per head,. caused in the first instance some alarm. The
agricultural interest were quite unprepared for it by any in-
formation on the subject, and equally so by any previous dis-
cussion of the effects likely to arise from so novel an experi-
ment. It was not at all understood how far the comparative
cheapness of meat on the continent of Europe depended on the
supply of fat cattle, and how far on the more abstinent habits
of its population. Inquiry has in a great measure removed this
cause of uneasiness. The cheapness of animal food in other
countries has been found to arise, not so much from the great
supply of it, as from the lesser demand for it. The supply for
the internal consumption of each country has of course ►n some
measure accommodated itself to the demand ; and, as the ordi-
nary price is a sure suck .c of the demand, we might have con-
cluded, from the first, that the stock of fat meat in any country
would be regulated by the price of it."
The Post says There are, we know, many, and among
them those whom we respect highly, theethink it were better
that Sir Robert Peel should not adhere so sternly to the regu-
lations of the new tariff They regret that he has made his
tenure of office dependent upon carrying them. It is a nice
question. Without, however, ass,: ting that all the regulations
of the tariff are the best that could have been devised, or even
nearly so, it may be arAuel that, since they have been pro-
posed, it is better that the Minister should adhere to them. The
restoration of the finances is not more important than the resto-
ration of the character of. the British Government."
The Chronicle has the following remarks The most im-
portant alteration in what is called the amended tariff, is that
which postpones until the 12th October the :Omission of vari-
ous articles of animal food. The concession thus made is on
many accounts not less discreditable to the Government than
it is disadvantageous to the public. We have repeatedly de-s
dared, not our entire satisfaction with the new arrangement of
import duties, but our pleasure in the fact that something ►s
thereby to' be done for the great mass of the people. In this
respect, it beers a different character from the other measures
of the new Premier. It is his own good work. Perhaps the
very circumstance of its being in contrast with the accompany-
ing propositions of the Government, has disposed us to appre-
ciate it the more highly. With proportiouate regret do we
find it belated as the only one in which the original plan is
subjected to modifications at variance with the spirit in which
it was conceived. Whatever presses hardly on the people is
carried through the Legislature with a high hand; it is the
measure of relief, and that only, which is found susceptible of
chaii6e, and is pared down from its original amplitude."