that Syria has been surrendered to the former. The Pacha had become alarmed at the great extent of country over which Ibrahim's columns had been spread, and at the defenceless state in which Egypt had been left, which would have been unable to offer any effectual resistance to the Russians, had they engaged in the quarrel. UNITED STATES. The dispute between South Carolina and the general government of the United States, is likely to be adjusted without bloodshed. The new Tariff proposed by the Government had not been agreed to by Congress; but Mr. Clay of Kentucky, the leader of the Tariff party, has introduced a bill for the reduction of all impost duties above 20 per cent. to 20 per cent; many articles at present paying 50 per cent. This bill has been read a first and second time, and has been supported by the representation for South Carolina, so that if it passes into a law, the dispute will, in all probability, be settled. The Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed to investigate into the propriety of resorting to force against South Carolina, has reported that such a step would not be advisable, on the ground that the question from which the dispute originated, applied to an entire faction of the country, and not merely to a single state; and that therefore any application of force would, in all probability, lead to a conflict between the two great sections of the country, and might terminate in the destruction of the Union itself. General Jackson has been re-elected President by a great majority. STATE OF COMMERCE, MANUFACTURES, AND AGRICULTURE. MARCH, 1833. IN the manufacturing districts, much business still continues to be transacted; and although profits are small, and wages are low, prospects are cheering, compared with what they have been for several years past. The cotton and woollen trades are very brisk. The rapid increase of the former, now the most important branch of our manufactures, is remarkable. In 1781, the raw cotton manufactured in Britain, amounted only to 5,000,000 lbs. ; in 1820, to 147,000,000 lbs. ; in 1830, to 250,000,000 lbs. The annual value is not less than 36 millions sterling; the wages paid, 22 millions sterling, and it keeps in employ 1,250,000 persons, or 25 times as many as were engaged in it 50 years ago. In Manchester alone, 87,000 persons are engaged in the cotton trade. In Rochdale the flannel trade is still improving, and wages, within these three months, have advanced 10 per cent.; but, after all, the flannel weavers' wages are only 8s. 6d. per week, nearly 30 per cent. lower than they were in 1824. The shawl trade in Edinburgh has been brisk, and a demand lately made by the weavers for an increase of wages was at once complied with by their masters. IRON TRADE. This trade still continues improving, and an additional advance of 10s. per ton has been declared at Wolverhampton, but still matters are not in the flourishing state which has sometimes been represented. The real facts are, that, in some instances, iron has, within the last few months, advanced L.1 per ton; but it was previously so low that many forges had been stopped, and, consequently, this defalcation in the manufacture had rendered the fabric comparatively scarce, and, of course, tended to enhance the price, which, at present, is ruinously low; and, if any attempt be made to recommence work with the forges that have been stopped, the value will be again as much depressed. The advance is entirely to be attributed to masters having been driven out of the trade from sheer necessity, which has given an impetus to those who have continued, by reducing the competition. But foreign powers are still endeavouring to oppress this branch of British industry. The Neapolitan Government has just laid on an additional import duty of L.1 per ton upon all British iron; Prussia is also increasing her import duties upon this commodity, to further the views of Norway and Sweden. The Hanoverian Councillors of William IV. have imposed a duty of L.2, 6s. per ton upon iron imported into Hanover from this country; whilst they admit Norwegian and Swedish iron at L.1 per ton. LEATHER TRADE.-The late rise in the price of leather is still supported; but we suspect the cause of the rise may be attributed to similar circumstances as those which have occurred in the iron trade. AGRICULTURE.-It was extremely fortunate that the weather continued so open during the winter, and permitted ploughing and other out-door operations to be proceeded with much farther than is usual; for the wet weather which set in about the middle of February, and which continued for a month with little interruption, has completely put a stop both to ploughing and sowing, except on the driest lands. In consequence, much less Spring Wheat and Beans have been sown than usual, and unless the latter part of March continue fair and dry, the quantity of Oats sown in Scotland will be much under the average. Winter Wheats are in general looking well, though in some districts they have a blanched appearance, from the continual rains. Young Clovers are also promising in their appearance. From the uncertain state of the Corn Laws, speculation in grain is completely at an end, and the prices of all kinds are still slowly declining. Feeding is likely to turn out better than it has done for some years past. The returns of Potatoes lately sent to the London market are discouraging, as they have only brought 8s. 6d. per boll, of 32 stones Dutch weight. The demand for good Horses is steady, but inferior animals are nearly unsaleable. In England. the lambing season has been hith .08perous, and there has been a erable proportion of twins in many tocks. The rise in the price of Wool has indemnified those who have kept it through the winNotwithstanding the depressed state of Agriculture, farms are letting at high rents; but no one can travel through the agricultural counties of Scotland without observing, that a great change has of late years taken place in the management of the soil. Improvements of all kinds are discontinued. During a ride of 60 miles ter. through the counties of Edinburgh, Haddington and Berwick, we only observed one drain making; hedges are generally left uncut, and ditches uncleared. The use of lime seems almost entirely given up. Farming, as at present practised, is the art of drawing, with the greatest rapidity, the greatest returns from the soil, without regard to after consequences. In East Lothian, the native farmers, so much distinguished for their agricultural skill, are fast giving place to a class from the more northern counties, who cultivate the soil in a manner which cannot fail to deteriorate it quickly. But the landlords, who are in general utterly ignorant of agriculture, look to nothing but their rentrolls. They are not aware that the meliorations of half a century may be undone in a very few years; and that their present attempts to keep up their rentrolls may soon prove ruinous to them. The greatest despondency prevails throughout the rural population; and they are almost all looking to Canada as the Land of Promise. The success which has attended those who emigrated some years ago has induced many to follow them; and some of the most wealthy and enterprising of the East Lothian farmers are now proprietors of their own estates on the other side of the Atlantic. The emigration this year is likely to be very extensive. Many of the emigrants are persons of large capitals, and altogether superior to those who emigrated some years ago. J. Johnstone, Printer, 19, St. James's Square. TAIT'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. THE BUDGET. THE Budget is now before us. Thus we have two examples of what these men can do; for coercion, the Irish Act! for relief, the paltry reductions! How heavy their measures of severity! how light their measures of relief! With what a rude hand they thrust aside the securities for liberty! with what a tender hand they touch the revenue! and how they mince and parcel out their petty reduction of taxation. The reduction of the Soap Duty is the best part of the project; and Ministers have need of soap cheap to wash their own dirty hands. The reduction of the Assessed Taxes will hardly be felt. The chief benefit of it would be to the larger shops, if the landlords would allow the tenants to pocket the advantage, which they will not; for shops in good situations will always let at the rate at which they are now held, and whatever is remitted in taxes will be raised in rent. The resolution not to reduce the Newspaper Stamp Duties has amazed even those who had little faith in the good purposes of Ministers. Lord Althorp has been guilty of the vilest perfidy. He has, for some months past, given out that it was his intention to reduce, or wholly abolish the duties. He has, by these pretences, procured credit for virtuous dispositions, and sufferance, on the score of it, for many faults which would otherwise have provoked sharp censure. He now breaks all his pledges, public and private, and continues a pernicious impost; declaring, at the same time, that he retains his opinion of its perniciousness, but does not see that the removal of a pernicious impost will be any relief to the people! He asserts that it is hurtful; but cannot perceive, forsooth, that to abolish a thing hurtful is relieving! What language can we find to do justice to such rare foolery? The prayer of the people is the prayer of Ajax in the nightfight—“ Grant that my eyes may see! let me not perish in darkness."Lord Althorp would turn a deaf ear to the entreaty, and hold that to give the blessing of sight would be no succour. It is, however, prized, as a means of enabling people to do the best they can for themselves, and make the most efficient use of their powers and opportunities. The reduction of the Advertisement Duty, without the extension of the Press, VOL. III.NO. XIV. M by the reduction of the Stamp Duties, will be of small benefit to the public; and the plan of reduction giving an advantage to those who repeat their advertisements, (the auctioneers and tradesmen,) favours the classes which can best bear the burthen. The Press, remaining as it is,—— speculation being confined to the weekly press, and not encouraged by much success even in that market which is the largest,-advertisements will pour in upon it, at the new rate of taxation, in more abundance than can be provided for in the existing limits of the press; the proprietors will take advantage of the demand upon their space, and raise their charges; and the public will soon pay as much as they pay now for their advertisements, and the amount of the tax or more will be pocketed by the newspaper proprietory. Had the Newspaper Stamp-Duty been reduced, the competition would have been of new and old newspapers for advertisements. As the advertisement duty only is to be reduced, the number of newspapers will not be increased, and the number of advertisers, increased by the notion that they can advertise cheaply, will be raising the prices against themselves. Lord People marvel at these blunders, and observe, that a little care would have prevented them: but these Ministers are incapable of care. Althorp, especially, puts aside any thing that gives him trouble and uneasiness. Men who have been invited to talk matters over with him, express their amazement at his ignorance and indifference. They find him uninformed; and not desiring information, the digestion of which might cause him trouble and perplexity. His only mood of jocularity is when he is, or rather should be, engaged in business. When obliged, for appearance, to sit in his office, he indulges in his ungainly funning. He makes light of all difficulties; and seems to think any decision, any plan, good enough for a Government having a subservient majority at its beck. How long that majority will be at its beck, is a short ques tion. The Cabinet is weak, within, by dissension; and its credit, without, is flying faster than a weaver's shuttle. The Times has lately turned its batteries upon the Ministry: this is a sign in itself. And as the Times has become hostile, the Chronicle, which abjectly suffers itself to be cast off and whistled back at convenience, has feebly and fulsomely pleaded the cause of the Ministry; and in performing this servile task, it has assailed the Duke of Richmond in that vulgar, sneaking way which passes under the description of " talking at a man." This is one indication of disunion. It may be observed, Of what account is the Duke of Richmond? What can it matter whether he goes out or stays in? The answer is, That the Whigs make it a matter of some account when they set their dogs at him. If he be insignificant, why cannot they break with him, or bear with him quietly? He is clearly of such importance that they think it necessary to damage him in public opinion, before they can fling him from the council-table. But there are other circumstances pregnant with schism. Brougham was true to his principles on the subject of the Taxes on Knowledge-" among the faithless, faithful only he." Alone he contended for the abolition, to the last. Though his opinion on this all-important question was overruled, he retained office, which he should not have done: but the difference on a matter of such magnitude, and which will be frequently discussed and contested, must have jarring consequences; and it throws Brougham from the Tories, who were playing for him, to the popular side of the Government; for knowledge is the natural enemy of the Tories, and they cannot coalesce with its advocate. This question is the Shibboleth. No man, unless he be a blockhead, who proposes the enlightenment of the people, can intend the misrule of the people: he may commit errors of judgment, but he cannot systematically design ill-the one object is fatal to the other. "Put out the light," is the exordium of crime“Let there be light,” is the will of all good. In our first paper, the first article of our first number, we mentioned the fact, that one portion of the Cabinet and its retainers were perpetually throwing all blame and suspicion on the other; and to this day the practice continues. There must be disruption. The best opportunity for it, when Brougham might have stood from among them, asserting the principle of knowledge against ignorance, has been lost; but the breaking up must come, and we believe it to be not far distant. Power will soon pass to the radicals. We wish they may be prepared for it; but to that end they must renounce their overweening self-conceits, and contempt of each other. Combination is the principle of a government; repulsion is the characteristic of the Radicals. Each locks himself up in a martello tower, and holds out for his own wisdom against the whole world. Each Radical is the only wise man. Any one who exceeds or falls short of a particle of his creed, is naught. They have no toleration within their own sect. That they will govern at no very distant time, is to us certain; but that they may govern to any good purpose, it is necessary that they should govern their own dogmatic humours, and humanize their wisdom for the purpose of association and co-operation. Let them, (we speak of the leaders-and in the Radical party there is this peculiarity, that nearly all are leaders,) if they will, suppose themselves too wise for this world; and then seeing the necessity of applying to its business, renounce the employment of that superhuman excess of wisdom which stands in the way of their agreement with any other mortal men. Hypochondriasts have imagined themselves all sorts of unaccommodating things. Every Radical of mark imagines that his head is so great that it fills the universe; and will suffer no other being to come near him. In the House of Commons, each is his own host; and the superlatively crotchety of them will go with the Tories occasionally, rather than seem to herd with men of their common denomination. In the House, each holds his martello tower, (he would scorn to stand rank and rank, or to put shoulder to shoulder,) and his single gun, on a swivel carriage, ranges to all points of the compass! Oh, that that they would cast off their stone doublets, and link themselves in generous brotherhood for common purposes with common deferences, against the common foe. No party compromises are necessary; all principles may be safe, all desires free, no object surrendered, and yet a judicious effective marshalling of them may be accomplished. Non omnia possumus omnes, is a truth not in the Radical oracles: hoc age is also a maxim unreceived by them; or else each reads the hoc to be his favourite object. Corresponding with the peculiarity that each Radical is leader, is the fact that each Radical's hobby is to run first in the race of improvement. All these conceits will be rubbed down in time; but as the period of Radical ascendency, seems approaching with unexpected rapidity, (owing to the alacrity of the Whigs in disgracing themselves,) we have fears lest they should not be subdued against the juncture when they would be most provokingly and mischievously detrimental. Friends, advocates, as we are of the Radicals, we cannot be friends of their weaknesses; and we here tell them, the more prominent Radicals of London, that SELF REFORM is a |