The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-11-22

Il
people contened. Alas the scene is changed
the evil day has come upon him, and has found
him unprepared to face it. Famine-gaunt, hor.
rible, DESTROYING famne-seems impending. Fears
have seized the public mind In Ireland matters
look appaling-in England gloomy. The grana-
RES OF the continent are exhausted. The corn
fields of the Visit la, the Danube and the Ebe, are
barely sufficient tor the local wants OF the inhabt-
ants. The nation is IN commotlon and the cry OF
"Open the ports and let in corn, sduty tree % is
heard, on all sides reverberated from every part OF
the empire. The pressure from without" has
made itself heard in Downing street; and faith in
the sliding scale-PeePs sliding scale-is gone
! for ever A third of the potatoe crop in Ireland
1 is destroyed. The Government has sent scien-
4 ufc professors to the scene OF the mischief, and
the awful truth is out that this large portion
of the peoples food-the esculent that Goblet
abhorred-is unfit for use. What is to be done in
| this terrible, this unlooked-for emergency "Open
the ports! ~ Is the exclamation and there stands
the shvering PREMIER like reed IN the wind, par
alysed between affection for his sliding scale and
the horrors Of public famine. There he Is, balanc-
ing the pros and cons. But necessity IS superior to
consistency, superior even to law. The ports must
be opened. O'Conne, who assumes to be the
tribune of the Irish people, goes beyond this. He
demands grant OF public money to the extent OF
million and half, to be expended in tle purchase
of food-he calls for tax OF fifty per cent on the
absentees, and tax of ten per cent on the resi-
dents-he asks forsthe prohibition OF corn and pro-
visions leaving the island-and the prevention OF
dstilleries consuming grain. Large demands these
will they be conceded! day or two will solve
the question; and in the meantime speculation will
find wide margin tor the exercise OF Its ingenuity
The sliding scae-that cunning scheme 10 make
food artlficiay dearls In the crisis OF Its fate
Swept away now, as 1t will be, its remposition,
with the views which the public entertain, and
| which conservative and even agricultural mem
bers have tardly adopted, will be found impos-
slble 1t Is gone for ever In future years
small fixed duty may be imposed-the sliding
scale never. Every thing proclaims the speedy
extinction of the sliding scale--he tone of the
government organs, the language OF the protested
supporters of the ministry, the feeling in the pub
| lie mind. 1t has long been seen and fortod that
the first season of scarcity would fix It's DOOM SO
it has. Peel is good actor; his " shlverlng" IS
probably simulated, not real. Placed between cross
fires, exposed his flank and his rear, II is neces-
sary thahe should play his part so as not TO appear
this he is doing, Like the 'coy maid half willing
to be pressed" he may perhaps feel inclined to
sing
How happy could be with either,
! Were tother dear chaImer away"
But it is suspected by those who appear to know
him best, that his leanngs are towards liberal
commercial, in contradlstinctiOn to monopolst,
policy.
Latest Commercial Intelligence.
From Liverpool Times, Nov. A.
! PRoTsIoNs-The American Provision trade pre-
sents very striking feature. OF Beef there is only
a limited quantity in the market, and holders appear
anxious to dispose OF the stock on hand before the
arrival of the new. Pork is dull notwithstanding
the small supply in the hands of the trade; this result
|
in Ireland, where the farmers have been compelled
to force their stocks to sale. There has been some
| Cheese brought to the hammer at public sale, but
only one halt OF the quantity offered found purchas
ers, and that at reduction OF IS. per cwt. The
market is bare of Lard, and the price is high, owing
to the state of the Butter market The Wool of the
United States continues to find customers in Eng.
land, and this branch OF tradeis improving; indeed,
there appears TO be no bounds to the consumption of
| an article which never, until recently, formed an
! article OF expectation from America.
FLOUR AND GRAIN.-The Corn market continues
10 rise, and the averages to decrease little but
the Jump in the scale by no means indicates the
actual price which good Wheat realizes. The
quantity of indifferent bad grain which is thrown
upon the market keeps up the aversges-lf such a
misnomer be applied to scheme which very
unfairly represents the actual price OF the article The
opening OF the ports is question so important in IL
self not only 1t affects the corn trade, but what is
OF tar greater consequence, DIS 1t affects the general
interest OF the country that 1t absorbs every other
topic at the present moment mornlng paper
stated day or two back, that treasury order had
been transmitted to, and received at, the Dublin
| Custom House, admitting grain free of duty. This
statement turns out TO be incorrect; but it
was generally believed-a proof of the public mind
being prepared for such step on the part Of the
Government. An evening paper has published
statement to the effect that Wheat and other de-
scriptIons of Corn, to be admitted Immediately,
at low figure: Wheat at sxpense per bushel and
/ the other kinds still lower; but this statement,
although put forth lmposngly, IS also considered
premature. Cabinet Council was held on FRI
day, at the house of Sir Robert Peel, as the Pre-
mer could not leave his home, owing to an at
tack of govt in the foot. AT this meeting the
question OF the opening OF the ports was doubt
discussed in all It's bearings, and expectation was
on the qa pipe to know the result. Another
| Cabinet Council was held at Sir Robert Peel's
house the following day, and the result OF this as
OF the preceding meeting, still remains mystery
! People have been anxiousy looking to the London
Gazette expecting to see an official Elimination Of the
Government policy, but they have looked in vain
| The Cablnetis said to be divided on the point at
issue, but no one presume to think that the ports
will not be opened 1t is the only thing about which
people talk-"Out Of the fulness of the heart the
must speedily be known, because If corn is to come
in duty free, every day adds to the difficulty, the
time OF the year is rapidly approaching, when not
only the Baltic, but the ST Lawrence will be closed
by the ice. AS regards the former, however, owing
to the scarcity which prevails amongst our continent
tai neighbours and the high price which grain com.
mands there, much cannot be expected. The great
hope is In the United States and Canada. The proof
Of the scarcity exists in the fact that most OF the
continental powers have already opened their ports
for the self same object, and it justly said, "Why
should England be less conslderate for its citizens,
than the continental rulers for theirs y The
real fact in all probability is, that Peel unwilling
to act until he is armed with the strongest possible
reasons for doing so; and in order to put cavi out
OF the question he Is said to be waiting tor the
port of the scientific commissioners whom he has
sent to Ireland to investigate the poatoe disease
Some say that Parliament will be Immediately sum-
moned to consider what ought to be done in the
present emergency. A Privy Council must be call
ed ere the ports can be opened and as no announce
ment of such a meeting has yet been made, some
days, it is probable may elapse before the policy of
the Cabinet will be made public. The state OF things
in these kingdoms at the present time, with the
ainty OF "bread stuffs" coming in free, or at the
lowest nominal duty must have considerable eff
feet on the price of those commodities in the United
States. and Canadian markets. As a proof of the
diversity of opinion which prevails in the Cabinet
on the subject of resembling the Corn Laws, even
Tor a temporary purpose, we may mention that
another meeting was held, at the house Of Sir Ro-
bert Peel yesterday afternoon.
THE CoRN-LAw.-The members of the Anti-Corn-
law League, resident in Manchester and its neigh
borhood, held special general meeting, in the
Free Trade Hall of that town on the 2Sth ult. The
whole area OF the building was densely crowded,
i the nennle q be al the nroceednus that