The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-19

continue TO make wealth OF to subsist on what they
have made. But these are not the questions on
lYhiehi on Jhsif own accounts tie great interests Of
the country are n9S AZ lssue. fhp quesiion Is one
u employ nenl for the nlsssea cl pGRfstion con-
gregaIed In those dense districts now.lhreatehsd with
such awful reyerses. Ii one week s'prsdues cut Of
ss has not been sold, 1t can lie no matter Of sur
prise that we ueGI CT s~innors meeting aOd resoy-
ing to reduce the hours OF labor from f1tits 20 ZEN
The Operatives thus deprived at of Ons-sirh
bet their income st the time when they require Il
most 81 P5hsa Peal and lhe home SECRETARY can
not he ignorant OF this sudden Charge which has
come over the manufacturing districts; and vixen Va
remember the eloquent but awful pictures which
these ministers drew, in the last session of Para-
rhent Of the dangers and distress which arose out
Iof Slmilar eausea in ls4f and l5i2--when We cal
To mind tbs emphaIle manner in WHICH the preTfIel
eontrasied the report OF the eommsnJer Of the forces
in Yorkshire in the summer Of 1912 with thst d
the summer Of l5i5-when we refer TO the sstiG!ac-
tory evidence which Slr James Graham laid before
the house. Of the increase Of wages, the diminulol
Of crime, and the general Improvement in the con-
diuon Of the whole population, concurrent with the
large reduction in the price Of grain which he quo
led-with the same minister sll al the head Of the
eabinst-with the same right honorable bsronet It'll
al the home-ofHce, IL would appear impossible thai
these oerlous symptoms Of returning adversely can
be longer disregarded, A Cabinet council Is sum,
monsd for this day, and we wait the issue;
tCkrOniek.
Tns 8ysutekx -7nrrsrtu,--The inSiaaaiior
thrown out BY the "leadiug journal" seems, by the
following, 70 be not only false, as II WIS promptly
pronounced TO be by Nj. Melville, but totally alb.
surd Il no. inipoSslOle:
! The fabrication Of the Times on the coln-lsv
question continues the principal topic Of conyersH'
ton in the city. Even the most ardent OF the anti
corn-lsw party, however, now abandon all hope OF
its TRUTH and If any confidence Is 10 he placed IN the
anathcmus pronounced on tile tadng journal for
The deception II has practiSed il is in fair way Of
fenpihg the fruits Of ls mendacity Merchants and
bankers are pro erbi for deslin9 in matters Of fact
and thew anticipate that an immense advantage WI
accrue from the neIneu,, ~ ou' '''' o
on which they can in future rely for informu'.~-
all matters Of deep public importance. With respect
to n report IN circulation on Saturday, alleging that
the Times had huZarded the statement on a eommu-
hication received from an American functionary, We
are authorized TO state 4 fact which mdy have SEINE
bearing on the case, as far as Mr. McEunej the am
bissddor, is concerned. That gehllchian let Lon!
don for Paris early on Tuesday, on business, where
he now remains; End a. ths ststemeht of the Times
did not appear until Thursday morning, the litter
val between these two events is not unworthy OF
notice. The opinion indeed on the stock exchange
this morning Is, that if the Times had a shade
or seHiOianet o. authority for the statement 1t has
been hoaxed by some uhderStFspper, and the mem.
bers congratulate themselves on their sagacity il
not allowing themselves TO be mised by The bold
ress OF the aveIment, even in the first lnsance, TO
into specuIations the expected consequences
IL 10 enrtanly circumstance not little ramaT Aae,
that according the letters received this morning
from every part Of the country, little faith was
placed the veracity of the Times that have not
heard of single case in which the startling an
nouncement gave confidence 10 any party to COM
nit themselves by specializing on It's truth.-Siand,
ard.
The following manifesto Of the mercantile inter.
ests of London will be read with interest. 1t i,
signed by many Of the most influential merchants OF
that city
lay before our readers one Of the most important
documents which has, been presented 10 public no.
lice Tor considerable period. A dtlibetats and
solemn declaration Of the opinions of body Of the
most wealthy and influential merchants, bankers
traders, end other Inhabitants of London on the
present serious and alarming condition Of the coun.
try, in reference to the supply of the main articles Of
the food Of the people, and the laws by which that
supply ia restricted:
We, the undersigned merchants, bankers trad.
ers, and others, inhabitants of London, deem 1t tc
be our imperative duty, in the present serious and
alarming condition Of the country, in reference
to the supply Of the main articles of the food of the
people, and the laws by which that supply is re-
strcted, to make this deliberate and sdlemh declar
alton IT Our OPINIONS, and OF the reasonS on which
they are founded We fully recognise ard atct
the views upon the subject of free commercial regu
IatlonS IN general, which were embodied in the pc
tltion Of the merchants of London, presented tc
the House Of Commons by the present Lord Ash
burton, in the year 1870, and are satisfied that
all further Investigation and all subsequent expe
renee has amply confirmed the truth of the princi-
Piles enunciaed IN that most important document
With the petitioners on that occasion we fully ant
entirely agree that "of the numerous protectiSe bnl
prohibitofy duties ~ cut ro'fAhtcial CODE il may
be proved, that while all operate as a heavy tax OF
, the community at large, very few are of any ulti
mate benefit to the classes in whose favor they were
originally instituted, and none to the extent of the
loss occasoned by them to other classes" This
objection, true Ct Ill protective duties believe tc
be particularly applicable to the laws which regu
late and restrict the supply of the food of the PEG
pie at large. We believe that the great practica
rule of leaving all commerce unfettered, apple,
more peculiarly, and on still stronger grounds o.
justice, as well as of policy to the corn trade, thai
: to any other. We are fully convinced that the i'm
policy and injustice Of all protective laws, and es
. pcciaIy of corn.aws have been established by al
overwhelming mass of general reasoning, and Thu
r reasoning has been amply confirmed by varied ant
extensive experience. That the baneful and faa
effect of these laws on our international relations
has been shown IN profi1otins jealous fee ngs dit
retaia,ofy tariffs the part of foreign countries
in engenderng national anitiiosities, and in weak
enng the bonds Of friendly intercourse and recip
: roca benefit by which the benefcence Of Ptovi
! denre when uninterrupted by the folly or wicked
ness of hbn, would bihd nations together in Chris
I rian amty and mutual good service.
I That, finally, we declare our deliberate convic
ton that no necessity can justify the legislature il
,amperng with the food of the people, or impedn.
the free purchase Of that article on which depends
the existence of a. large portion Of the community
that the removal, therefore, Of all restrictions upo,
the import of articles Of food is essentu to the gen
era prosperity, we'll AS to the social peace Of Thu
country; that il is u dictated by all sounc
principles confirmed by a long and fatal experienc
of the effects Of opposite course that it is de
mandcd by the want and pressing necessities Of tn
laboring classes that it, Is sanctioned by the udg
ment Of the educated part of the community; tina
the present condition Of the country renders il
measure of immediate necessity, the delay of whic
must infct cruel hardships on the laboring classes
must seriously interfere with all industrious pursuits
and by portinaciously repudating the obvious an
natural means by which the sufferings attendant
; a bad harvest might be alleviated, must create
universal feeling of dissatisfaction and ill-w dar
gerous to the peace Of society, and to the safety