The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-05-07 00:00:00

FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 7, 1841

We received at a late hour last night papers from
Jamaica to the 31st March, and from Guiana to the
22d March. It will be perceived that our space is pre-
occupied, or we would have given the intelligence con-
tained in the papers. No mention is made of the
President; but, according to Captain Fayrer's calcula-
tion, she could not have reached any of the West India
Islands prior to the departure of the packet on the 31st
March.

Lord Melbourne has described the consequences of
opening the corn question in parliament in a manner
so racy and terse that the warmest friend of his coun-
try's peace could desire nothing better. The picture.
was drawn last year, when his lordship was in a fa-
vourable position and state of mind for doing justice
to the task. The question was then attempted to be
agitated by a third party; and the Premier, acting and
speaking in the capacity of an impartial umpire, de-
clared, " that whether the object was to have a fixed
duty, or a diminution of the present ascending and
descending scale, he saw clearly and distinctly that that
object would not be carried without a most violent
struggle (hear, hear) without causing much ill-
blood, and a deep sense of grievance—(hear, hear)—
without stirring society to its foundations (hear,
hear)—and leaving behind every sort of bitterness and
animosity—(hear, hear)—and he did not think that the
advantages to be gained by the change were worth the

evils of the struggle, by which, they might depend on
it, the change could alone be effected. (Hear, hear.)"
Such was the tableau sketched by his lordship last
year, when his interest seemed to consist in telling the
truth; but this year another string has to be pulled,
and the same noble lord, standing as chief showman,
will, doubtless, tell us to look to the right, and then to
the left—to the foreground, and the back—and behold
the very reverse of all this : instead of a " violent con-
test," just an amicable rivalry to see who will be first
in offices of kindness ; instead of " society stirred to
its foundations," society gently refreshed by a health-
ful agitation; and, instead of "bitterness or animosity
left behind," nothing, in fact, remaining, but :fl'ection
and esteem between the adverse parties that win and
lose—between those who suffer and those who inflict
the suffering—the conquerers and the conquered.
Nobody doubts his lordship's ability at that inesti-
mable and profitable game which men call humbug;
but he labours at present, unfortunately for himself and
party, under the disadvantage of being suspected.
The cry of " black-leg " has gone forth ; and we are
inclined to think that, with all his admirable skill in
taking in the soft-horns, he stands just now in a pre-
dicament out of which he will find it indeed very diffi-
cult to escape.

The corn-bill is the newest humbug, and is taken up
for the benefit of the English mob—that which was
raised touching a £5 franchise specially for the Irish
being worn out and duly shelved. It will be remarked
that our scientific ministry, like all " adepts," live not
upon the strength of what they have done, or are do-
ing, but upon something that remains behind, and
which they are to do when time and opportunity shall
concur in their favour. Thus they came into office
under pretence of carrying a certain appropriation of
church property, and the pretence served their purpose
extremely well; but, having got into power, no other
appropriation seemed to give- them any concern, but
the due appropriation of the emoluments of office to
their own use and behoof. They at last coolly ahan-