The New York herald., 1845-12-02
The Crisis In Affairs the other side of the
Atlantic.

The Crisis I'm Affairs on the other side of the
Atlantic.
European Correspondence of the Heraldl
PARIS, Nov l, lS45.
The Furnishing Condition OF Euyope--Ihe Threat
ened Starvation in Leland-Aiarm Of the English
LANDED Aristocracy-Snpplies of Food from Ame-
rsca-IHe Religious 1gitatiom in EWope-Ihe
Fierce Denunciations Of the Sects-State of France
The Resignation of Southeastern Ship Great
Britmn-Dias,c and the Drama, &c, &c
As week rolls on after week, the anticpations |
threw out in former letter, respecting the harvest
in the United Kingdom, unhappily more and
more confirmed. Every mail which arrives from
each direction brings to London the unwelcome
tidings OF scany crops In Ireland and Scotland the
potato crop presents the most gloomy prospect
What is certain is, that it must be very short an
deficient, and what seems probable is, that it will
be almost lost The situation of the Irish peasanry
In such case is hopeless, unless the government.
aided by private benevolepce, interfere AT best,
the potato, the lowest and cheapest ament on
which the human frame can be sustained is their
habiuai food There is nothing lower to fall to- in
this case Of scarcity Of that root Starvation and
death become then inevitable, without some extra
ordinary lnierposltloa 1t is proposed that govern
ment should suspend the corn laws, so far as regards
Ireland, and admit American and other foreign grain
10 the ports OF that country free of duty. Maze, i,
Is SAID, might be resorted to with advantage, as it
was on a former occasion But even this tardy re-
lief will be Of no avail without other aid, for no i'm
ported produce can be bought by the poor Irish la
borer at the price at which he would have eaten his
potato and more he has not to give. 1t is under
stood that tins lame entabe state of things has already
engaged the attention Of the cabinet, and that mea-
sures OF relief are under consideration. The evils
OF repeal, OF agitation, even OF civil war; become
insignificant, compared with the horrors which now
menace Ireland. 1t is said that serious nconve-
niencss are apprehended from ay interference with
the operation OF the corn duties. This may be true
and economical statesmen may be justified in then
appfehenslans, and incontroverbly logical in their
positions, but there will be an imperiols necessity
above and beyond their theories. The Irish must
eat They cannot wait for the end of the discus
SION. Slx millions OF people cannot be allowed to
economy arrive at conclusion that the laws, which
deprive them OF food, ought to be suspended. Feed
shem first, and discuss afterwards
The terrible evil of this vegetable pestlence does
not even appear to be limited to the coming season.
1t the crop, or considerable portion of it, be so in
feced rs to be destructive of life, shall we use this
element OF death as the seed for the succeeding
harvest 7 And if not, where are the means for the
wholesome continuation and propagation of this ne
cessary esculent to come from? 1t has been sug-
gested that seed be sought for in those regions
whence Sir Walter Raleigh first brought the potato
TO Europe. But this locality IS not known, and if it
were, is 1t likely that the root is still indigenous
there!
The failure of the potato crop is not the only evil
which menaces the population Of the British Isles.
The harvest generally has been bad and scanty.-
The advlces from every quarter of these countries
are distressing. There seems to be no ground now
tor doubling that in the necessary supply OF food for
lDe next year, there will be considerable deficit
The unusual wetness and GOODNESS of the season
nave no doubt been the main cause OF this. Even
IN france where the season has not been SO unavor-
aole we had twenty-three wet days in August, and
twenty one IN September. AS might be expected
IN snch circumstances the markets are every where
rising already, and the bank is raising the rate oil
interest, and contracting It's discounts These cir
cumstances naturally stimulate importation into
England, and there by produce corresponding rise
IN the markets OF other countries.
The supply OF corn to the London market, from
the English counties, showed no deficiency in quan-
tty during the first weeks of October Within the
hrst two weeks thirteen thousand quarters arrived
from the counties OF Lincoln, Esse, Kent and
Suffolk--but the quality was interior-to remedy
which, 1t was proposed to mix it with foreign flour
The duty on Baltic and Dantzc -four IL about
eighteen shlings quarter But as prices rise,
which, OF course, they will, the duty will fall, and
then importation on a considerable scale may be
expected Before the 10th OF The month, the quan.
lty OF corn IN bond amounted to about six hundred
thousand quarters. further supply OF four hundred
thousand was expected from the Baltic before the
close OF the navigation, aud about two hundred
,ndeIendently of what might arrive from the United
states, and from Canada Thus the amount of the
entire quantity IN bond may, before the close OF the
yearbe expected 10 rise to ewhere about eighteen
still be insufficient to cover the probable deficit and
accordingly much anxiety prevails not only among
the manufacturing, but even among the agricultural
interests. The beginning OF the year must witness
a considerable elevation of price. The arrivals OF
-four from America will find the more favorable re-
cepon, the corn of the last and present year has
been OF inferior quality
II is confidently expected by the League, and by
all others who are favorable to relaxation of the
corn laws, that out OF this misfortune good may
come, and that Parliament will be driven, nolens
voiens, next session, to some important modltca-
tons OF these mlschlevous prohibitions. Unless,
however, the public distress should rouse the people
70 some extraordinary demonstrations, like those
which preceded and produced the reform of Parlia-
nent and the abolition of the borough system, il Is
scarcely probable that any radical change will be
made. The subject is tender with the landed
arlstocracy. very large proportion of the land
holders have their properties morigaged to the full
amount OF that value which they would have il the
trade in corn were free, and consequently en-
Toying at present no other income except that which
directly derived from the restrictions on the trade
In corn. A complete abolition OF these restrictions
would reduce this class TO beggary. Now, although
it would not be true to say that they constitute
majority OF the arisiocracy, yet it is undoubtedly
true that they form considerable section of that
class, and that they are connected with all that
powerful, influential and wealthy in it, by the ties
OF blood and marriage. Those members Of the ars-
tocracy, therefore, who afford to assent to the
abolition OF the restrictions the Importation OF
corn so far as concerns their own social existence
will oppose it TO the death for the sake OF others
with whom they are intimately connected.
1t is probable, nevertheless, that the impending
distress will have the effect OF opening the British
ports to colonial corn, and that importation, more
less extensive, will take place future from Ca
snada.
In the present condition of the trade in corn such
an elevation OF price will have the effect Of open
ing the ports will be attended with collateral incon-
venlence, an evil which, under a healthy system,
would not exist. In consequence OF no regular
foreign corn trade existing, the usual system OF
change Of the products OF the manufacturing industry
for that article does not exist In the extraordinary
emergency, therefore, of sudden importation Of
corn from foreign countries, It will have TO be paid
for Ia specie. This will produce sudden dram OF
gold from the cellars OF the bank and the exchange
Will, contrary to its usual course suddenly turn
against England, Money will become scarce IN
London, and the reaction will quickly spread
through the manufacturing industry OF the country
Thus It IS evident how close connection exists be-