The renewed opposition of the Times to the Corn-laws, after
a long silence on the subject in leading articles, has naturally caused a news- paper "sensation." The Standard, with gloomy foreboding of evil consequences to its party, from the vigour and knowledge which the Times -will bring to the discussion of the question, is yet ready to enter into an amicable controversy. The Post sticks to the monopolists, and gladly takes the opportunity of proving that its Conservatism is not sham. The Chronicle discreetly welcomes the powerful coadjutor. The Courier and Globe seem almost vexed that the Times should have taken the popular side of the question ; and are sore at the intimation that Ministers promote the Anti-Corn-law agitation for sinister ends of their own. Though the Globe twits the Tines with de- serting the country gentlemen at the eleventh hour, it would be easy for the Leading Journal to demonstrate, that in advocating a repeal of the Corn-laws, it does the landlords, as a body, good service, inasmuch as any loss of income arising from a diminution of corn grown on their estates would be more than made up by the augmented demand for land and the produce of land, sure to follow the removal of restrictions on trade and manufactures. Besides, it is only a question of time. The Corn-laws cannot long be maintained. The landlords will never be stronger than now.
It is but just to remark, that the Times has never ceased to render a most valuable service to the cause of free trade in corn, by the re- gular publication of exact and striking statements of the comparative prices of wheat and bread in England and in other countries.
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