The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-10

4 ifcldnd, under the clfcumstnhv~1 wheh Nv" 80
4 will b. productive Of great and permanent good.
But care muxf be taken hat ID serves the people, not
| the landlords The moral and social condition Of
4 the peasant must be raised, and II the calamity
which now, like pail, oyerspreads ths iand' 10 IN
srumenal hereafter ia making the peasantry, as
one of Irelands finest pastoral poets phrases H.
eboldn by exertion and noble sef-rclance, they
/ will become their ''eountrys pride" IN the most
comprehensive and dignihed sense Of the words
Ireland is not the only portion OF the Queens
realms invaded by famine. La thu Highlands Of
Scotland immense desutution exists, and there, as
/ in Ireland the poor have been reduced TO the sad
4 sxuemity Of existing without the potato those
Il who know, and appreciate the splendid
romanees Of Scott, connected with the highlands OF
his native country, will be panied TO learn that men
who can face death ia every form are now reduced
10 the sad state Of physical desttuton. The Times
newspaper has sent gentleman, who reoIees IN the
soubTiqusi OF commissioner" 10 the Highlands,
and he has smiited 20 his employers AN swfully
/ graphic sketch Of the want of food amongst the
peasantry which now exists there. While agrieul-
iuraI science has enabled the Scotch landed propre-
tor to acquire independently, the ter OF the soil
is little better than a serf. This should net be.
Some Of the most painful and awfully graphic
sketches Of character that the present generation has
been conversant with, may be read IN the sketches
Of the Tmess commissioner. We alude TO the sub
jet here for the purpose Of showing that our COM
mon humanity no matter IN what form II may meet
our eye, is entitled and ought to receive the sym
patty Of every man who possesses a heart within
his bosom.
i The Montpensier marriage is contaminated
The great object Of Louis Philippe's ambition is
gratfed-a French prince stands the footsteps OF
the Spanish throne Much ink has been split in
the controversy between the London and the Paris
redaeisurs in this controversy. IL has been hne
theme in these dull times for the professional polit-
clans, and they have turned II both sides to the
best account, But while the dispute waxed SO
fercely--vhile the battle ofthe pen proceeded apace
I 1.-The willy old monarch of "Le Grunde Nation"
pursued his policy without turning To the right or
The left caring neither for the frowns Of his ally,
the feelings OF his own people, He has steadily,
ceyerly, coyerly phrsued his game, and captu ca
L. All his plans for the last half dozen years,
regards Spain, seem 10 have been ooncocted with
especial reference 10 the resultu which the world
now looks and marvels. The marriage, il is said,
will, and has produced, a feeling Of enlargement
Il between the courts Of ST. James and the Tueries.
We hope not. Pity that it should. Spain seems so
lost, so demoralized, that any change must be for
the better lower she hardly sink. Il has been
our policy and misfortune to interfere unneces-
sarly In the affairs OF our continental neghbors.
We have already burned our fingers in the opera
ton; and IN defiance OF past experience, II heated
feelings prevail over cool sagacity, will do again.
The fears Of impending famine, and the state Of
the grain markets, not only IN own but In
neghboring countries, have produced feeling in
favor Of throwing open the ports To the admission,
duty free, of every description Of provisions. Un-
!, der the new sliding scale, which has upwards Of
two years yet TO run its course, the minimum duty
on wheat is 4s the maximum duty los per quar-.
ter. The rapid rise in price will speedily bring
down the duty TO the lowest point, but this,
is contended ought not to be enforced the face OF
the impending dearth Foremost in this movement,
are Of course the free traders who view the impo-
sitIon of taxes food Of any kind IA an abomina-
uon. The circumstances which at present exist,
give 10 the the theory Of untaxed bread the force
Of practical truth The subject is canyassed with
much spirit, and the organs Of the government are
busiy engaged in supporting the withdrawal Of the
impost duty. The question is narrowed to one be-
tween the protectionists and the free traders. .
The price Of grain is rapidly rising in all the Eu
ropean ports the best proof of scarcity, and the
supplies for Great Britain, well the continent,
must come principally from the United States and
Canada, where the harvest has been happily album
dant. Why the consumers in these islands should
be saddled with four shings quarter more in the
price than foreign rivals, at a time too when
the government is compelled to feed one portion of
the empire out Of the national exchequer il would
be difficult TO reconcile with political
|, omy. To make England and Scotland pay for
Irish restitution, is forced upon by the urgency
of circumstances; but this exaction of pary i'm
post, in trying crisis, sins against even handed
justice towards those already burdened with the
compulsory support of others; besides il acts as a
positive restriction the commerce Of the country.
Much Of the food imported INTO England during the
next six months will be paid for in GOODS and bar
te1, which is the soul of trade, must necessarily be
crippled by the minimum duty Whether viewed
| as simple measure OF ven-handed JUSTICE or as a
means of giving flip to the dropping trade of the
manufacturing districts, the ports ought, and we
trust WILL be thrown open for the admission Of every
description of food. Meetings have been held in
. Manchester and elsewhere, 10 impress the subject
, on the government When the nation is thoroughly
reused, the duty will be abandoned-not till then.
The fear Of famine has overtaken the canaiHe Of
Paris, and riots have been the consequence. In
every great metropolis there are to be found num-
berless DISCONTINUED spirits on the alert for "row"
in order to have plausible excuse for appropriating
the property of others to their own purposes. The
prtext Of scarcity in the matter of food is Just the
sort Of excuse which such persons can set up with
impunity, and they are not slow to take advantage
oft. In addition to the rise in the price of the
cessaries Of life, trade in Paris dull the present
time, and these combined causes have led to the
temporary outbreaks to which we allude. The mob
entered some bakers shops, stopped some carriages
and attempted to form barrcades; but the military
were in attendance, and quiet was eventually re.
stored. In some Of the French provincial towns,
similar spirit Of discomfort has been apparent. q.
J WILL OF THE LATE LORD MErcALrE-The will
was made on the 28th of July, l846. The personal
estate in England and within the province Of Can
terbury, was estimated for duty at .fl00 600. To
Lieutenant James Metcalfe, he leaves specific be-
quest of 100000 sterling books, engravings plate,
N &c. Bequeathes to james Macaulay Higgins, ESQ.,
late civil secretary and his lordship's private secre
tary in Canada, 900 sterling. To his lordship's
sister, Viscountess Ashbrook, 81 900; to his sister,
Mrs Georgiana Smyth, an annuity of $500. TO
his trustees and executors, each 900. Leaves to
his butler and valet annuity of .fl00, as also
legacy of f200 and the whole Of his wardrobe; and
his under butler Sl00. Hs#~# .
!, YARN DUTIES IN GERMANY.--The present rate Of
duty chargeable on cotton twist is two dollars or
about IS. Cd. per cwt, and an opinion is gaining
ground that it will be augmented. The rate talked
of now likely to be adopted is three dollars, or
about 12s 3D. per cwt 1t is even said that last
, year, Prussia had agreed to such change of the
existing duties, but that the southern States rejected
it as being too small concession to be worth their
acceptance. Their willingness now to take it would
, imply that they have less confidence than former
in the of the protective principle, for which
they have so strenuously commended.
ii Ireland.
The state of ireland continues to be most Distress