The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-11-14


position of the different regiments of volunteers
and regulars before the battle.
Price 81 cents singy, in wrappers, or So per
annum III advance.
The News from Europe-The Spectators
In Famine.
The Great Western will be due in day or
two, and the Acadia in about week, with intel
ligence from Europe TO the 3lst ult and the 4th
inst Spectators, philanthropists, and pheso-
piers, are anxousy waiting their advices; all are
DESTROYS of hearing of the price of bread in Eu-
rope. Thousands watching the movementsIof
the specuators and is to be expected that the poor,
plo haze to pay Starvation prices for their -four IN
the midst of abundance i, this country, and those
rho speculate in famine and cut the vres ofthe Isic-
graphs ,ciN act come in contact ,cth each other.
1t is, perhaps, needless to repeat that every
steamer that now enters our ports from
Europe is watched with greedy anxiety by those
whose trade it is speculate in the starvation of
the poor. In addition to the scarcity sent by Pro-
violence, these men create artificial famine oy
raising the prices of provisions TO an exorbitant
standard, whenever the harvests do not yield
their accustomed abundance, or when from any
other cause dearth spreads its gloomy shadow
over the land These harpies to be found in
every such strait, ready to take advantage of the
necessities Of the poor But this cove,ous spirit
often meets with lis just punishment. The peo-
pie, their minds dsodered with the famine that
gnaws their vitals, begin, when provisions reach
certain price, to imagine that there is no real
scarcity, but artificial one, created by the
factors and Spectators. The idea seizes them
that the gifts of God are being boarded up to en-
rich sordld and ava ricious and thew
regard it as duty rather than crime, to take by
force the food they cannot procure by any other
means Corn monopolsts become to them OBJ
jects OF detestaton They look upon them as
oppressors oil the poor. Such men are, generally,
at the commencement of popular outbreak,
sacrificed TO the Jury of the poPulnce.
There is always limit to popular 70 b. arance
such occasions, and when the storm once
bursts, it is terrific in its existence and in It's con-
sequences. The homey adage that "hunger
will break through stone walls" is then verified
with awful certainty.
There have been various instances of this total
disregard not only of law, but even of sefpreser-
walton, occasions when the price of food was
raised to such an exorbitant height to render
it impossible for the people TO purchase suffi-
cheney to sustain nature.
riot at Coenties slip, in which men. women and
children participated The storehouses in that
locality were broken open and ransack ed, and
those who had gloated over the miseres of their
felow-creatures, were obliged to disgorge their i'll
gotten boards. We speak not in justification of
such lawless proceedings, but we cannot shut our
eyes TO the fact that as human nature is constitu
ted, and as long maa lives by bread, and not on
al. G.lI IL r.l..-
such must be the inevitable result as such it ever
has been en- the occurrence of a scarcity.
short time previous to the rebellion. Of '9S
in Iceland, there was such scarcity that even the
soldiers IN garrison at Galway were utterly desti-
tute of food, the monopolists having taken advan-
tage OF the scarcity 20 demand a most exorbitant
price for breads,uts, and every species of provi-
sions. The people, in the meantime, were
starving. General Merrick, who commanded
the garrison, was applied to by deputation of
citizens and soldiers to issue order regulating
the price of provisions at some reasonable stand
ard He dismissed the deputation with an insult
ing reply. That night every granary and store
house in the town was attacked. The soldiers OF
the garrison and the women were most prominent
in the riot. The corn meal, -four and potatoes were
carried out, and distributed TO all in want of food
Not a single store house escaped, except such as
belonged to those who had acted humanely to the
people, and had sold at the accustomed rates.
The owners dared not venture from their houses.
The city authorities had no power TO quel the
rist. General Merrick was obliged to shelter
himself in the barrack, expecting every moment
10 be sacrificed TO the vengeance of the populace.
Other instances are not wanting. The bread
riots In Milan in 1923, admirably described by
Manzon in Promessi Sposi, may be cited
as remarkable case. Our readers are doubtless
acquainted with his description of these riots-so
clear, so simple, and so graphic-but we cannot
forbear copying the following sketch of the pllag
ing OF bake-house, drawn. with a mastery hand
and an admirable subject for an artist -
They few upon the large chests and instantly piaged
them. Others instead, hsstened to tear open the
ter seized the tls took out by handfus pocketed and
of with the money to return for bread afterwards il
there remained any. The crowd dispersed themselves
sacks and drew them out; others turned them wrong
side upward and untyng the mouth to reduce them
weight they could manage to carry shook out some OF
the hour others crying ont stay, stay ~ came under.
meath to prevent this waste by catching in their cohes
aud aprons; Others again fell upon kneadng-
and seized the dough. which ran over their hands and
escaped their grasp every side; here who had
snatched up mealseive, came brandishing IL in the
AR. some come, some go, some handle-mon. women,
ano children swarm around; pushes blows aud cries are
banded about; and white powder that in clouds
ana oeposites Itself in every direction involves the
Wnoie Procsseolng In thick mist Outside is a crowd
composer v, .wo reverse professions which alternately
separate and inermnge some going out with their prey
otnsr entering o share their spoil
Ga the arrival Of the Great Western. which
will be due to morrow Monday, the speeula
tors will doubtless endcavor to DESTROY The ,.ls
graphic communication with the north, cas-, and
south, for their own evil purpose We trust tina,