The Sun. — 1839-02-12 (London, England)

LONDON AND BRIGHTON  RAILWAY.  (From the Briyhlon Herald. The first permanent rail was laid upon this line by Alfred Morris, Esq., of this town, on Monday last, the 4th inst., at the Hassocks-road, in the presence of Mr. Statham, the resident engineer, and Mr. Geo. Thornton, the contractor of this portion of the line. Threequarters of a mile is now completed there, and the rails will be at once permanently fixed. One mile of permanent road has been already laid on the Shoreham branch of Portslade, and it is expected to work the locomotive engine on this part next week. Upwards of 350 men are daily employed upon this branch, and the rails are being laid upon the various cuttings and embankments now completed, being an extent of nearly three miles. Twolengths have been completed in the Tunnel at the Dyke-road, and day and night gangs are kept constantly employed there. We may expect to enjoy a ride per steam to Shoreham early in the ensuing autumn. • Upon the main line, aleo, the greatest exertions are being made, and the contractors are preparing vigorously to meet the summer campaign. It is to be hoped they may enjoy a long series of fine weather to assist them in their arduous undertakings. Parliament is now met, and it is obvious what will be the leading business of the Session. That which stands pre-eminent is the course to be pursued relative to the Corn-laws, a subject pregnant with the greatest consequences. That those laws would be repealed there is no doubt, if a perverse party did not divert the attention of a portion of the people to inferior and impracticable objects, which they pursue so eagerly and inconsiderately as to prevent, in some places, public meetings being held to support the great efforts making to repeal laws made in defiance of those of nature. Whether tile Chartists are aware that in this perverse line of conduct they are doing the dirty work of the Tories, wo know not ; but we do know that the Tories exult in seeing the people divided among themselves, for in this division rests their only hope of maintaining an odious and unnatural monopoly. The Morning Chronicle urges strongly that meetings should be held in every place to petition against the Corn-law ; and we submit whether the Brighton Constitutional Association (if it still exist !) might not, at a time like the present, to arouse itself in support of question of such paramount importance ! We throw out this suggestion for the consideration of the members.  LORD BROUGHAM AND Mr. O'CoNNELL.— We observe, from the London Morning Papers of Thursday, that Mr; O'Connell has taken an e*rly opportunity of rqtaliating on Lord Brougham in his own peculiar manner. The combatants may be left to fight the battle out as they please; they are very well matched, and both capable of standing hard hits. His Lordship has much the advan,,ge in the tone which he assumes. He takes high ground, and keeps the political partisan, not the individual, in view. His adversary is not remarkable for much restraint on such occasions, and the distinction of the private and the public character is too nice to be drawn in his wrath. Mr. O'Connell has, however, apparently vindicated himself from the charge of accusing Lord Norbury's son of committing the murder. His remarks on the occasion did not contain hints as to an individual, and there appeared sufficient grounds for stating that there had ken the print of a fashionable boot near the spot. The circumstance was first noticed in the public prints.—Scotsman.