The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-25
Extracts from late foreign paprs received
at this office by The Britannia.
THE CORN LAWS AND THE PRESS

/
tempoaries ofyarious shades ofpolitical sentiment,
To which we anxious TO direct The attention of
our readers They will see that the demand for the
abolition of the corn laws and the free importation
OF food for the people is all but universal; and they
may hence conclude that, Il they relax in their
efforts the day for the final triumph Of TRUTH JUS
tce and sound policy, cannot be far distant.
| From the Times OF Tuesday
/ II is now two years since, in the recognition of
great exertons, of vigorous perseverance, and uian
| ilnous combination, we denominated the anti.eo,n
iGc league "greai Jaci." IL was title which that
body had mefited alike by its organization and by
its foftuneatitle which neither the Stiffness of some
members, nor the scurriliy Of others, could impair
"a title which il will retain long after the circum-
stances which attended its birth shall have ceased to
influence the popular mind, and the objects to the
attainment of which it was devoted shall be fully
realized.
We then wrote wilh'its twofold success fresh in
our memory two elections triumphantly carried
against the strongest influence Of its adversaries,
and beyond even the most sangnine wishes of its
| friends We now write at moment when its in
nuence on the hastings is much diminished when
elections carried against its candidates, when its
public gatherings have lost their gloss Of novelty,
and its pet speakers their petulan arrogance
| Yet there so fair prospect that the OBJ
| ect ofits existence would be accomplished. a
Il is now doing its work by the agency of men who
once struggled against 1t. Ii is fulfilling IFS mission
/ by men who from without; il prospers by an
unacknowledged alliance, and smooths its ruffled
/ pumes at the appearance of unasked, but not UNI
welcome, cooperation. Henceforth the league may
cease exist it may be dissolved into its constitu
ent elements; it may lay aside its professional acri
mony and viuperaton. The great fact is hasten
ing to become a fat accomph. 1t may expire bodi-
ly, because its spirit has been already transfused
into its antagonists.
The indications of the public mind clear and in
telligible. The shrill small notes of Captain Rous
have deepened into the louder tones of Lord Ashley
and Mr.. Escott The question of the corn laws is
settled by anticipation. "Their doom is fixed"
So say men who entered Parliament not to fix that
doom, but to avert itnot to hasten the termination
Of those laws but to retard it. Others will surely
follow, and the beginning Of the end Will arrive
I When conservative member within the pale Of
Chandos influence says there is no Fighting with
the bellies Of the people," it is difficult to conceive
that minister amenable to the influence of pop
ular feeling as the premer--so bandly conecding
when it is strong, so prudishy and circumspectly
resisting when it is weak--should persist in CHI
a Various devotion to the ubricity of his favorte scale
To be consistent, he should lubrlcate. His polit
cal loves have never been nconveniently long, nor
tiresomely constant. He has wooed ALL and deceived
ALL from Daphnis to Chloe-from the Protestant to
the squires-fiom Sir Harcourt Lees to lean cattle.
He is bound by hopes Of his party for they have
ceased to trust in him. He holds their allegiance
by a stronger tenure-that of necessity The aban-
donment of Canning is being fully avenged on his
deserers. Strange that the leader of that political
perfdy should be the only gamer by the retrbu-
ton But the Nemesis of statesmen, though she
may delay, fails not in her awards Has the pre-
mier no fears?
! great opportunity is at hand--a twofold oppor-
tuny-that of redundance added to that of scarcity
The staple produce of Ireland is blighted; the wheat
food of England is stined. By the average it is
made to appear that corn is cheap But the greater
quantity Of corn now on sale is very bad the best
corn is very dear There is not any fear Of scarcity
or high prices. Men are busily engaged on other
matters The gambling fever is still on the nation
Speculation is still active, and trade thriving. La
Dor has employment and remuneration. What
/ season for great change!
/ "Tibi rident aquora celi
i Fortunate puer! tibi flores dedaa tellus
Nectt, ct aspirat tibi suaviter Amphitriten
i How welcome, at such season, would be meas
ure for soothing general irrtation--a measure
| which, while it unfecred commerce from unnatu-
| raj restrictions, at the same time liberated the pro-
ducers Of food from The odium of enjoying an UNI
profitable monopoly, and its consumers from the
yexatlon of paying an unnecessary impost How
convenient plea might be found in the wants of
Ireland and the prosperity of England for change
which would relieve the former, and injure the
\ latter!
4 The people of England think differently on the
corn laws to what they did three years ago. The
agricultural mind is more at ease as to the danger Of
their repeal. Small landowners even less afraid
than they were. Large landowners are Indifferent
or favorable to their repeal. Lord Ashley says
their doom is fixed Mr.. Escott says it ought to be-
Prosperity IN Lancashire is avowed be prosperity
in Dorsetshire Will not Sir r. Peel act on such
| hints as these2
i On his decision in this matter will rest the little
that remains Of his preensions to political adrot
i ness Ills fame as statesman, and his character
as the leader of great party, are tacitly resigned
but to have abandoned all other opinions in turn
to have opposed Catholic emancipation, and after
wards endowed Maynooth---yet to have adhered to
It in defiance both of friends and foes of warnings
and threats, will offer difficulty insuperable to the
rapher. But it can only be question of time
now or few years hence-quetly or tumutuously
with the dignity ola statesman comforting benefit
or paceman yielding to cry. All is fair now
The corn laws must be settled, and the league dis.
solved Tomorrow; but let the subject remain unset
tledlet another bad harvest come. in the train of
lis predccessor--let the horrors Of unsuccessful
speculation be added to the horrors Of dearthlet
men awake from the itful feverish dream of making
money without work, and buying credit without
money--let them awake and fnd in addition TO.
their own beggary, any obstacle however slight, or
however unexaggerated (for they scH exaggerate
them) to the free expansion of the national ener-
ges and extension Of the national commerce--it re-
CURES but little knowledge Of human nature and
| events 10 predict the clamor which must arise and
the consequences which must ensue. II will de.
mand holder front than the premers to meet the
camora blander tone than his to soothe it,
i From the London Examiner, Nov. |.
\ OPENING OF THE PoRTs.-A suspension of the
corn-laws becomes daily more necessary. Indeed,
It appears to be inevitable; and we fnd the rumor
gaining ground that Parliament will be called to-
gether at an earlier period than usual Whether the
ports will be opened for the admission of grain by
an order in council, or by nasty act of legislation
remains still subject Of doubt. Il is, however OBJ
yious, that if the latter best a tardy one
is resorted to, much of the anticipated benefit viii
he lost to the country. The season is now rapidly
approaching when many of the ports whence we
may look for the largest supplies, especially of OATS
will be closed for the winter; and when we consider
that the ascertained deficiency of our home produce
affects chiefly the inferior descriptions of food, it
becomes matter of urgent importance that our
markets should be repenishej with the produce of
Archangel, and other northern ports before the frost
intercepts those supplies for the whole of the winter
and spring months The necessity which calls for