whole labouring population to pauperism. How else can you account for the fact that the moment

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cheap foreign corn" arrives, we hear of nothing but " Emigration?" that the immediate consequence of this inundation of supplies is, that our people are starving, and that bread is so cheap that our labourers have no money to buy it? The only fund out of which a labourer can earn his bread, is from the productiveness of his own labour; if we reduce the value of the produce of his labour, we deprive him of the power of buying bread at all. And in spite of all "sophists, economists, and calculators," I maintain, that it is a nobler and more beneficial policy, ay, and in the end, a cheaper one too, to employ a fellowcountryman at half-a-crown a day than a foreigner at a franc. David Hume, in his Essay " Of Commerce," feelingly remarks—" It is true, the English feel some disadvantages in foreign trade, by the high price of labour, which is in part the effect of the riches of their artisans, as well as of the plenty of money: but as foreign trade is not the most material circumstance, it is not to be put in competition with the happiness of so many millions. And if there were no more to endear to them that free government, under which they live, this alone were sufficient."

PROTECTION.

Noble, yet ominous words those last indeed! Do you remember with what glee Sir George

Grey announced, two years ago, that 2000 coalwhippers had enrolled themselves as special constables ?

ARISTOCRAT.

Perfectly and those men were in the receipt of good wages: but had Sir George introduced amongst them 500 sturdy Swiss or burly Dutchmen, to reduce those wages 20 per cent., by competition, might not their ardour have been somewhat cooled? And yet, what difference, in effect, between the free importation of men's hands, and the works of men's hands?

PROTECTION.

Was it not the famous 10th of April, 1848 ?

ARISTOCRAT.

It was, Madam. Never shall I forget it for while La Grande Nation! required two millions of armed men to carry on the peace under Lamartine, I, at the head of six-score chosen "Specials," kept. in awe, for fourteen mortal hours, by the Abbey clock, the whole of Petty France!

PROTECTION.

It certainly was a grand demonstration, and proved the invincible spirit of our English. What a contrast with the upper and middle classes of France!

ARISTOCRAT.

True, Madam: but France would have stood firm in February, but for the vacillation of the King. It was that change of ministry that ruined him—

Vis consili expers Mole ruit suâ.

Had he stuck to Guizot, he would have been safe.

PROTECTION.

Pray, let us quit this painful subject. It appears to me from what you were saying only just now, that the worst part of this new system of ours is the displacing the labour of such a disproportionate number of our own people, in our increased intercourse with foreign nations.

ARISTOCRAT.

Precisely so, Madam. If it were merely a question of the exchange of the labour of 100 Poles, or Russians, or Frenchmen, or Americans, for the labour of 100 Britons, it would be of no material consequence; but this is not the case; we pay, indeed, for our imports with the money value of what we export; but we do not pay for them by the works of men's hands. In a word, in our dealings with the foreigner we displace immeasurably our own labour, by our own machinery; this, indeed, is the great and growing evil that threatens to overwhelm us; this is the tap-root of that poisonous plant, whose bitter fruits we are only

just beginning to taste. The produce of our own machinery is taxed, and wisely taxed, by foreign governments, at from 20 to 60 per cent. to ensure, not only revenue to their treasuries, but protection to their people, against unfair competition; while our own labour, displaced by free imports, which yield nothing to the State, is degraded to the workhouse, where we are taxed to maintain it. This is the system we boast of as philanthropical and sound! "Only let me have plenty of Imports," mutters Free Trade, as she baits her trap with Philanthropy;

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only let me have plenty of Imports, and I dare say the Exports will take care of themselves." "Diable!" cries the whiskered little stranger, as he glides so gaily down the polished rails, with his "foreign bottom,"-" Diable! quel beau chemin!" "Ay," sobs one of the duped denizens within

"it seems all mighty pleasant for you; while, unhappy me, the more I try to get out, the more I find myself harassed by the most pointed and illiberal restrictions!"

PROTECTION.

Is "Free Trade," then, in the habit of making an utensil of "Philanthropy?"

ARISTOCRAT.

Madam, they are as inseparable as the Sin and Death of Milton. "My angel," sighs Free Trade, "I am almost at my wit's end; come, come,"— patting Philanthropy on her cheek—" have you no

more philanthropical blinds to hoodwink the working classes, while I am busy reducing their wages, ' on the soundest principles of political economy?"" "Ungrateful wretch!" replies Philanthropy-" am I not slaving for you day and night? As soon as your precious Income Tax forced the higher classes to reduce their establishments, did I not institute a 'Servants' Provident and Benevolent Society?'— when you drove our working people to pawn the last shirt off their backs, did I not establish Baths and Wash-houses for the Labouring Classes?' Am I not busy building Model Unions' and

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6 Model Prisons' as fast as I can? Have I not left the New Houses' to rot under the Thames, and set up in their stead, an Asylum for Idiots?' As fast as you fill whole streets of our Metropolis with the offscourings of the Magasins de Paris, to make our poor Needlewomen,' 'Distressed;' am I not stewing them into floating brothels, and screaming, Emigration!?' and the instant you make the children of Labour sufficiently 'Ragged,' do I not cram them in Schools?' How could an honest, industrious People, proud of earning a fair day's wages by a fair day's work, be changed into slaves and hypocrites so readily as thus ?" "Indeed, indeed, Philanthropy," replies Free Trade"I am heartily ashamed of my ingratitude; but will you grant me one favour more-the last I will ever ask?" "What can you mean, dear?" "Why, as Protection,' now, poor thing, on her last legs, is to be buried on the 1st of May, 1851-"