The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-16 00:00:00

*tronlY72bition

SUN-OFFICE, Half-past Three o' Clock.

In defending the Government Corn-law scheme last
night in the House of Commons, Sir E. KNAroinum,
took occasion to observe, " the landed interest had freely
received the proposal made by the Right Hon. Baronet,
and he (Sir E. KNATCHBULL) should never have agreed
to it, unless it gave to the agriculturists such ample secu-
rity for their property, as might enable them to maintain
that, station in society which it was their right to hold."
In these few words, insignificant as they may appear, we
have the whole secret of the landholders' protracted oppo-
sition to any alteration in the Corn-laws. They are
opposed to these laws, not from any enlarged principle
of justice or patriotism ; not because they are at variance
with common sense and common humanity ; but simply
and solely, because any effectual alteration in them may
prevent their party from maintaining "that station in
society, which it is their right to hold." So the best
and dearest interests of the country are to be sacrificed,
in order that the landowners may still continue to main-
tain their " station in society "—a station, be it observed,
fixed by themselves, and according to their own sense of
self-importance ! Everything is to be made sub-
servient to this great —this paramount necessity.
The interests of the landholders are superior to every
other interest. What matters it how the vast mass of
the community is distressed, so long as they thrive, and
maintain their high " station in society ?" The people
were born for no Other purpose than to be the hewers
of wood and drawers of water ; and, in like manner,
th landholders were born to maintain a certain " station
in society," which, in all matters of legislation, is the
very first thing that must be looked to. Now we
' warn these selfish, aristocratic monopolists, whO
scarcely deign to aCknnWledge the existence of any
other party than their own, to beware how they intrude
their claims to factitious importance on the public atten-
tion. We warn them to beware how they add insult to
injury ! We conjure them to remember and get by
heart the lesson set them by the old French aristocracy,
who fell, chiefly in consequence of this very arrogance.
What are " stations in society" compared with the
great interests of the people ? Are the weavers
of Paisley to starve—the cotton-spinners of Man-
chester to perish by thousands off the face of the
earth—in order that the landholders may revel in
luxury, and keep up their state at Court. However it
may have been hitherto, such nonsense will be tolerated
no longer. Mere conventional distinctions are rapidly
losing their value. in public estimation ; and the big
word "Aristocracy" is no longer the bug-bear that it once
used to be. The People have become too shrewd—too en-
lightened—to allow their interests to be sacrificed any
longer to a great landholder's sense of self-importance.

Rumours of an intended revolutionary movement is
Spain, fixed fir April next, have for some time pre-
vailed in Paris. Some short time ago, a gentleman re-
siding in Madrid, wrote to a friend in London, stating
that the Carlists and Christinos had come to an amicable
understanding, and that when the flag of revolution
should be again unfurled in the Basques, CABRERA
would be at the head of a movement combining
equally the interests of CARLOS and CHRISTINA.
On Sunday it was whispered in the diplomatic circles
that the French Government had , permitted CABRERA
secretly to escape from pri,son, and that he was actually
in Paris contriving a plan of insurrection with Madame
CHRISTINA MUNOZ, now a daily visitor at the Tuileries.
The subject, we are happy to see, was brought before
the House of Commons last night by Colonel Fox, in
answer to .a. question from whom, Sir ROBERT
PEEL stated, that the Government had heard, though not
officially, that CABRERA was in Paris, or would be there
very shortly ; and further, that he sincerely trusted the
Spanish Government would be strong enough to crush
any attempt to disturb the national tranquillity. The
treasons of the French Government against Spain,
are therefore no longer doubtful. CHRtsyniA and LOUIS
PHILIPPE'S machinations are now revealed to the world
and in time enough to put the REGENT entirely upon his
guard. The Tories, we' rejoice to announce, have
adopted the Spanish policy of the Whigs, so far as re-
gards the maintenance of the Constitution. This will
give vigour to the councils of the Spanish Cabinet ; and
when the gravity of the case is known in Madrid, we
shall expect to hear of fewer dissensions in the halls of
the Cortes.

In our Foreign Summary we have given a few extracts
from the Paris Papers, showing what is thought of Sir
ROBERT PEEL'S Corn•law scheme in France. Hardly
any other topic is touched upon in these Journals. The
persecution of the press by the printers, who are now
virtually constituted newspaper censors, and who print
or reject leading articles at their pleasure, excites no
attention beyond the offices of the oppressed journals
Thus, the Government has now only to bribe a printer,.
to crush any daily paper without encountering the odium
of a prosecution.
The Paris Papers give currency to some favourable
news from French Africa. ABD-EL-KADER, however,
still threatens to give the French a world of trouble.

Died, at Mostaganem, in Africa, on the 20th of January, Edward
Charles, youngest son of the late Patrick Henry Russell, Esq., of
the County Down, representative of one of the oldest families in Ire.
land, Barons of Ulster from the conquest to the time of Cromwell.
The Ministry is silent respecting the events at Hayti, which ap.
pears even to be doubted. The Journal du Havre brings to.day the
following confirmation of it :—" Captain Briam de Boisjillet, of
the Amelia, coming from Oonaives, in St. Domingo, confirms the
news, received by the way of America, of the serious disagreements
which have arisen between the Republic and the Consul of France,
in consequence of the seizure made on board the St. Jacques. M.
Lavasseur was still on board the Berjere corvette, waiting for in-
structions from the French Government."—Commerce.