The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-21 00:00:00

Zije ILibtrpool Atanbarti.

FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 21, 1832.

COUNTY ELECTION.—This morning the polling Corn-
menc;es for the election of members to represent the
Southern Division of this County. in Parliament. We
hive the electors in the interest of Sir T. D. Hesketh,
-will be at their post betime, and place that gentleman in
*proud eminence at the close of the day. Let them prove
by the promptitude and the number of their recorded suffra-
ges, that the self-styled conservatives," as they have been
sneeringly designated, are unwilling to give the county
even one day of unnecessary trouble, and that they will,
by the result of the first day's polling, show their oppon-
ents that further efforts on their part will be unavailing.
The tunes are yregnant with danger to every interest of
this once happy country—but to none so obviously, as to
that paramount one, the landed and agricultural interest.
Let all, therefore, unite in favour of a candidate whose
efforts will be exerted to the utmost to save all, but espe-
cially the farmer, from impending -destruction.

Tali London papers, since our last 'publication, do not
supply us:with much that is important from the seat of
war, beyond the taking of Fort . St. Laurent by the
French. ;Old Chasse and his DutCh.tarrison are a very
obstinate set of fellows,and show no dispesition to sur-
render the 'citadel of Antwerp to our allies, the French.
We learn, by the French papers, that the government of
France refits-es Marshal Gerard's request to be allowed.
to attack that. fortress from the 'Antwerp side ; there is,
therefore, no help for it, but to proceed, with composure
and regularity, to storm it, in which. caSe, we suppose,
the brave Men who have so nobly defended their sove-
reign's cause,-will be put to the sword; to show all Europe
the tender 'mercies of our own, and our allies' friendly
intervention! The ministerial scribes continue their
endeavoursloSprove, that a weak nation, when unjustly '
attacked by a powerful one, is fairly chargeable with all
the bloodshed and misery occasioned by their obstinate
resistance, because ultimate succeSsis hopeless;--this is
carrying the doctrine, that might constitutes right, to its
utmost eTtent. But has it never occurred to our sapient
c:attemporaries, that the gallant strnggle"of a small, but
valiant people, may rouse the sympathies of More pow-
erful nations in their behalf, and so-rescue them from the
gra=sp of the unrighteous oppressor ? Did we hear the
same maudlin cant when Russia .attacked Poland ?" yet
the Poles were only doing what the Dutch are now striv-
ilz to effect, and their cause was equally hopeless ;
were the
_oppressed Poles the party who were justly
elLirgeableiith all the horrors of the Russian invasion?
LI our liberals answer us.

Tie cause of Don Pedro, at Oporto, seems fast draw-
iag to the closing scene. Don Miguel has got -complete
possession of the river between the city and the sea, and
is proceeding with much " composure and regularity" to
starve his beloved brother and his adherents, should their
inofrstrous want of feeling render such a course necessary.

OF the numerous subjects which, we are' told, are to
c:_iine under the consideration of the reformed House of.
Commons, one of the most prominent, and in point or
national importance indisputably the first, is that which
relates to the corn laws, or, as it. is more modernly called,
the monopoly in corn. When we consider how large a por-
tion of the population of this country is engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits, how materially. their prosperity and
welhbeini Would be interfered with by the unlimited im-
portatien of foreign corn, even with the protection of a
moderate duty ; and how intimately blended with the
prosperity of the landed interest is that of the manufac-
turing and trading part .of the- community, we cannot
help feeling- the greatest anxiety, that the subject
should be most maturely and carefully . weighed, and
viewed in all its bearings, in order that it may be fully
underslo&l, and that the- nation may not, under the in-
liaence and excitement of a popular outcry, unadvisedly
adopt a change upon so important a subject, where the
. consequences of error would be fraught with ruin to mil-
lions of individuals, and with irreparable injury to the
Country at large. . ..... .
We are fully aware that there is. something very cap-
ating to the_half-famished artisan in the sound of cheap
bread; and that it is an easy matter to -persuade such per-
- siins, that but for the selfishness of the
.aristocracy in
beeping out foreign corn, in order to maintain high rents
for 'themselves, bread might be procured from foreign, at
a much lower price than from British grain,' The corn
laws are thus denOunced as an unjust monopoly, whose
only effect, and whose: Only-Object; indeed,. is to enrich
the few at the expense of the many: - Under. the influ-
ence:of such feelings and impressions, nothing is more
natural than, that those who are louaiii their professions
of doing
.away with all Monopolies, but especially the corn
monopoly, should find favour with the Multitude, and be
tltcted as member's of Parliament in preference to those
who are more scrupulous about pledging themselvei to
the adoption of measures, the full effects -of which they
may not have maturely considered,.and. upon the merits
of which, at' all events, they wish to liear the opinions of
others equally, or, perhaps, snore competent than them-
selves to form a correct judgment. We shall thus find .a
very considerable number Of the individUals 'Composing
the new Parliament W be men pledged to an alteration
of the corn laws, but - what those' alterations should be,
will, probably, be a question involVing. as many different
o.;.;inions as there will be persons proposing-them.
In looking at this suttject, as one. of national concern,
it will he,eonceded, we presume,that that. landed is not to
by sacriked to the manufacturing :interest.; and that if
monypoly of corn is to. be done away, -that of mann-
it.ures shall not be continued. -If -the manufacturer is
hdalloWed to purchase corn fioni ihnse who can sup-
-1.:!- Lim the cheapest, surely the. farmer should also be
p-A-mitted to buy his clothing, his implements of hus-
L,undry, and every other article of necessity or luxury,
in like manlier, at the cheapest Market. Let this princi-
ple be adopted, and, we believe, it Will be found beyond
all controvefsf, that the British agriculturist needs pro-
tt.,-ction, or monopoly, less than ahy. other. interest in the

em,-.lre;