The Sun. — London, England, 1820-01-11 00:00:00

FOR TUE SUN. THE FLE'SSINGS OF THE CONSTITUTION. The legitimate object of every Government is, .4ot•;ul Happiness. The Government which most effectually pro motes that object, is the most worthy of support. 'l'i►e British Government promotes it more ef fectuaily-than any other, and as effectually as hu man ordiniinces are 'capable of doing. The two first positions every body will admit. The latter shall be proved by an enumeration of the Blesiings of our Constitution. In some measure, these are confessed by the very persons who are endeavouring to destroy it ; since they carefully describe tl►emstives as its friends and admirers; and the acts which they meditate for its subversion as enterprizes for its Support They would not find, throughout the whole Coun!ry, one man who would lkten to them, much less assist them, in any avowed hostility against the British Constitution. A sTrongtr proof of its excellence cannot be adduced. And, to he loved by all, its blebsings must be extended to all. And their extent mast be t:tpial. Epaiity is .its pervading and court oiling prin.. eiple. Since, however, the unlearned may possess mday blLsings whereof they are uncolitcioqs, even le ejoying their best fruits, a ft .v pages will t=it he misapplied, in (letailitig to the less enlight ened classes of the comninnity those blessings, out of which wicked and turbulent men desire to delude them. Ju entering upon the primary and principal good which man is capable of redeiving—ltaLt- Glow, I must correct the inadequacy of my prake. The British Constitution does more for social happiness than mere human ordinances could ef fect. Christianity, with all its divine lessons, is incorporated into our Constitution. The Law of th►e Laud is Christianity. Christianity is the Law of i he. Land. NcvLl . t,zless, Deists and Infidels, while openly stri.:ing to eradicate Christianity, pretend all pos sible regard for the Constitution. Still worse ; they would make the Constitution their engine for its eradication. These then are the tests, and the fruits, and the safegtiards of Sock! Happiness, They are also the tests, and the fruits, and ►he safeguards of the British Constitution. Religion: Security of Life and of Person. The Power of acquiring Property; and of re. taining it. The Power of electing Representatives hi the Legislature. The Power of becoming a Member of the Le- gisiature. The Power of filling any station or office for which the Citizen will quality himself. And, lastly, the Equality of the Law. In these high but just privileges, what other Country than oua ow can chew such honour able eminence ? RELIGION is the most powerful surety of Social Life. Without its obligations, man cannot de pend on man ; without its instructions, man cannot do good to man ; without its influence, man cannot do good to himself. An implanted conscience, a sense of duty and of subjection unto his Maker and Judge, are his most effectual restraints ; without which, he would he the more dangerons in proportion to his powers, and the more formidable in proportion to his talents. Religion, however, has so wrestled with hie na ture, that every bad propensity is controlled, and every good disposition encouraged by her in fluence. Christianity is that Religion which has at once described our duties, and enabled their fulfilment. ,Chr:,tianity is the Law of the Land : not merely because the 1.43 W has so declared it to be; but because the Law derives from it both Right Ind Posver. The first duty of the State is, that the truths of Christianity should be taught to every inhabi tant who is willing to receive them. Its Ministers are appointed in every parish throughout the Empire, whoae duty it is to give Christian consolation and instruction unto ail who seek it at their hands ; to celebrate the ser vice of the Most High ; and to hallow the Sabbath by confession, and prayer, and thanks giving. While this observance is continued, whether the form of Worship be the purest Pro testantism or any other kind of Christian Faith, so long the blessings of Christianity will be as sured among a people. Therefore, Christianity has hoer) made the Law of the Land. The Gospel enjoins, that Kings shall be its nursing ,6ttbers, and Queens its nursing mothers :--end as, without the obli g:►tion of hUnlau kw, religious duties would too generally be neglected, the State has well pro vided and enjoined their observance. Neverthe less, our Religion rests its claim on its deriva tion from God's own appointment as expressed in the Holy Scripture, the only lasting Revelation of his %s ill to man. It claims no authoritative power over our minds • beyond what is claimed by the Scripture itself it conveys only the same ad monitions, the same warnings, the same pro mises, and the same denunciations. Like that, it teaves every ma❑ t►► his own conscience, and to his oyvn freedom ; which is but another term for his own responsibility. Its restraints are merely negative. It does not command any thing, though it teaches, much. Its prohibitions are tew : forbidding only the revilement of God's word, and the promulgation of doctrines dan gerous to the public peace. Such are the religious principles of the British Constitution and such are its highest blessings. The general security is provided by this grand truth which the Law recognizes, and by which the Law is preserved—the responsibility of 01l men unto God. The pure Administration of Justice is ensured by the solemn appeal of an Oath unto t he same Power. Jun'g:•s, Jurors, Prosecutors, Wit nesses, all, most thereby attest the purity of their decisions and declarations. Nu question of life, of liberty, or of }propel ty, can be determined with out an immediate I.of:relive to the all-knowing and all-seeing Deity. And thus, the Law has placed ihe strongest--eve might say indeed the only— check upo►z man's passions, his prejudices, and his interests. Another most noble feature of our Law is to be noticed. Imitating its divine example, the Admi nistration of Justice in mercy ; and 30 likening it. selt, as nearly as human frailty allows, to that Tribunal before , vhich d 1 mankind must one day be judged, it has wisely placed the prerogative of mercy in the Royal breast, and qualined the Royal Person for its impartial exercise, By the maxim, that the King can do no wrong, the Law has placed him beyond its f l / 1 1 reach. He is not amenable to any earthly Tribunal ; and be carries in hint sdf therefore—humanly speaking--._t he Image o f Gods superiority. This pre-eminence, which could not safely be vested in more than one per. son, or in any other person than the King, ren ders him the only fit Dispeuer of the Laws.— And, as he can have no interest in their execu tion except the public goo d, b e i ng b y h i s personal immunity exempted from all temptations of fear or favour, in him their Administration properly rests, and the mitigation of their justice by his ruertiy. [To be continued.] FOR THE SUN. INSOLVENT BILL, AND IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT' Ma. EDlTOR—Having he reto f ore fAYdiscussed these topics through the medium of your Paper, tiny amplification at this time would be intrusive surplusage. lint IGNOTUS having assigned to me t h e apportionment of release to Debtors, subject to the decision of a Jury instead of a Commissioner, common courtesy requires that, in declining this task, I should offer my reasons. IGNOTUS has complimented me too highly by the delegation, 'and the, same reasons which would weigh with him for referring Cases of I nso l ve ncy to. a Jury of the Country, might have satisfied his mind that the apportionment of release in gradation to be re gulated by the Jury, was not a subjtet of refer• ence to any individual in the Community. How ever, as that does not seem to have occurred to him, I must offer my humble thanks for the fa vourable opinion expressed, when he delegates to me a task which, if ability was not wanting, mo desty would induce me to decline. In fact, Mr. Editor, I think the introduction of a Jury generally in cases of Insolvency, would he introductory of contusion, expellee, and needless contention, and fettering that discretion which is properly vested in a Commissioner, would pro duce a delay nearly equal to the denial of justice. There may be cases wherein the verdict of a Jury ' would be highly proper in furtherance of the ends of justice, and the experience of the Insolvent Court will, probably, at no dietaut time, suggest the nature of such cases ; and it may be found re quisite to give the Court a power to direct issues to be tried by Juries, as is done in the Court of Chancery in Bankrupt Cases. But Trial by Jury to regulate and decide the gradual periods of Imprisonment, proportioned to the amount of debts, would, in my humble judg went, too nearly assimilate Debt to Criminality ; and it Insolvency is made punishable as a crime, it will be in vain to argue that Trade, Credit, and Comm&ce are essential for the support of the Community. It might be as well contended with the same view to the principles of Release by gradation, that Trial by Jury-is requisite generally in admi nistering the Bankrupt Laws, under which more numerous cases of alleged fraud, or disputed facts continually occur. Questions in Bankruptcy ere already referable to Juries, but rarely and cautiously submitted; and l cannot subscribe to the pi inciple of establishing a Jury as a conlim on d part of the Court for Relief of liisoluent Debtors, especially as (independent of Ole modern S;a,nles of Insol vency), En up pi trz ts already exist tar the Punishment tf whaterershall come specylcally under the De scription of Fraud. Temple/January moth, ISM W. 111----N. We received this morning the Paris Papers of Thursday and Friday last. Those of Saturday, were (lie this morning, have not arrived.— The only business done in the Chambers was the appointment by the Deputies in their Bureaux on Thursday, of a Committee, to examine the projet respecting the sales of national domains.--The following are extracts " PARIS, JAN. 7.—Yesterday his Excellency M. de Macchi, Archbishop of Nisibe, Apostolic Nuncio of his Holiness the Pope, was introduced to the King by M. de Lalive, Introducer of Am bassadors, and addressed the King in a Speech, after which his Excellency presented his creden tials ; the King replied to the Nuncio. His Ex cellency presented to his Majesty M. Damiani, Canon of the Metropolitan Church of Rome, Se cretary of the Embassy. The Nuncio afterwards had audiences of Monsieur, Madame, the Duke d'Angouleme, and the Duke and Duchess de Berry. His Excellency afterwards dined at the Thuilleries, a dinner. of 45 covers being given on the occasion by the Duke d'Escars, First Maitre d'Hotel of the King, in the apartments of the Duke d'Angouleme, at which were present, the Spanish, Neapolitan, Portuguese, Austrian, Russian, and Prussian Ambassadors, the Car4linal de la Lezerne, &c. &c. &c. " The King received yesterday the Countess of Got bland, on the occasion of the new year. " Commissions relative to Protestant Wor ship assembled on Tuesday at the Hotel of the Ali- Lister of the Interior, under the Presidency of his Excellency ; es did also, on Wednesday, the Commission for the amelioration of the state of prisons. The Count Decazei is indisposed. M. de Serres continues very ill. " The old man of 117 years of age, who has often been seen in the Marehi aux Fleurs, is se riously indisposed, but he i s not d ea d, as state d in the Moniteur. Marshal the Duke de Valmy (Kellerman) is dangerously ill. FIVE PER CENTS. Wednesday 72 f. a. Thursday DEFERRED STOCK. Wednesday. Thursday. Of the 220 l March, 1817 94 f. 40 c..... 94f. 80 c. 22d Sept. 1817 92 f. 40 c..... 92 f. 80c. 22d March,lBlB 90f. 80 e . 22d Sept. 1818 88 f. 40 c..... 88 f. 80 c. 22d March, 1819 86 f. 40 86 f. 80 c. 22d Sept. 1819 84 f. 45 c..... 85 f. —e. " VIENNA, DEC. 27.—Acenrding to the last letters from Constantinople, serious disturbances have broken out in several parts of Asiatic Tur key. Two Pachas have been obliged to retire, and the Rebels are masters of several towns. Persia is said to be no stranger to these disturbances, and the Schell of Persia is suspected of a design to obtain possession of Syria and the adjacent Provinces. ROME, Dec. 22.—According to the orders which have reached Pesaro, there is little proba bility of the Princess of Wales soon returning. " Sir Thomas Lawrence has set out on his re turn to England. " VIENNA, Dec. 25.—Jerome Buonaparte is now established with his family at Trieste." There have been recently some Letters in The Morning Chronicle, signed A German, severely ani madverting on the conduct of the several Govern. ments of Germany, accusing them of despotism, oppression, and. breach of It these Letters ate tounded in truth, the conduct of the several Governments in question cannot be too much ex posed, and held out to the contempt and in- dignatinn of mankind. But it is to be ob served, that as these charges came from an Individual, be may btive been soured by disap poinimew, and be actuated by te'venge. Some of these Letters Lave been taken into The British IMonitor, and, as the Editor of that Paper is cer taiuly very well acquainted with Continental Politics, and particularly with the affairs of Ger many, it may be inferred that he would not have admitted theta into his Journal, if he had not reason to believe that they are supported by facts. On the other hand, if these are gross calumnies upon the Sovereigns with whom we are in alliance, the tnleration of them in the English Papers is likely to occasion complaints to the British Government, and possibly to lead to the disruption of all amicable Relations. At all events, the insertion of the charges may be of advantage to the People of the respec tive Countries where these oppressions anal violations of solemn promises, on the part of the several Potentates, are said*to exist, and while those Potentates cannot but respect the freedom of the Press in this Country, they may derive sects lessons front the exercise of that freedom, as may open their eyes to the danger of provoting their subjects too far. It appears that the charges in question are not so much directedagainst the Sovereigns themselves as to those who pas setts their confidence, and to whom the administra tion is intrusted, but they manifest great indo lence and great weakness themselves in suffer ing their subjects to be ill-treated, and not &bid. ing by their own sacred obligations. Prussia, in particular, is the object of heavy censure in th• Letters to which we allude ; and considering what it suffered under the influence of . revolutionary principles in France, it ought to guard against the tendency of revolutionary principles at borne. We conceive that it is the duty of the Foreign Ministers in this Country, not to treat with indifference accusations apparently founded upon facts, but if they are not , so, to tome forward and prove that they are direct falsehoods, or at least gross exaggerations ; for otherwise their eilence will be considered as negative evidence of the ez istence of the alleged grievances, and must e x p ose the Sovereigns whom they represent to the indig nation of the world, and draw disKrase upon their subjects for tamely submitting to such injustice and oppression. We regret to state that some indications of the Manchester spirit have been evinced in this neigh bourhood, .s will appear from the following Pro clamation, We had not heard of the circum stance when our last Paper was put to press. The soldiery are marked objects of the hatred of a cer tain class ; hitherto they have borne their insults with remarkable patience and forbearance. It is. probable that the aversion to a red coat originates the disappointment of the expectation that the soldiers might be seduced into the same delusioft which has en tangled so many well- tne aniug rant people : Whitehall, Jatt, 4, 1820. Whereas it bath been humbly represented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, that on Wednesday, the 29th ultimo, as a soldier belonging to a detachmencof the 6th. Regiment of Dragoon Guards, stationed at the Cavalry Bar racks within the Liberties of the town of Newcastle-upon- Tyne, was coming along the foot-path between the Cow_ gate and the said Bat racks, a loaded pistol was fired at trim by a man dressed in a fustian jacket; who was in com pany of two other men. His Royal Highness for the better apprehending and bringing to justice the person concerned is this felonious outrage, is hereby pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to promise his Majesty's most gracious pardon to any of them, except the person who ac tually fired the said pistol, who shall discover his accomplices therein, so that he, she, or they may be convicted thereof. (Signed) ' SIDMOUTH. And, as a further encouragement, a Reward of Fifty Gui. neas is hereby offered to any person, except as before ex pressed, who shall discover the said offender, so that be, she, or they may be apprehended and convicted thereof.—(Nesa. castle Courant.) COMMERCIAL TREATY WITH FRANCH.,—The Birmingham Gazette sap, " It will be satisfactory to our readers to learn, that the acknowledgment of the Memorial from the Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures here, on the subject of a Corn tnercial Treaty with France, is accompanied with an assurance, That the Lords of the Board of Trade are fully sensible of the importance of the question, and will not fail to give it their most anxious consideration ; and that it had, indeed, already occupied much of their attention.' We earnestly hope, the endeavours of our Govern ment may be assisted by a favourable disposition on the part of France, in obtaining so desirable an object." The PRINCE RBGENT is expected to go to Brighton this (lay Or to-morrow. His Glace the Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND. says s Letter from Newcastle, with the cha— racteristic iviunificence of the Noble House of PE,RGY, has been pleased to express his bight approbation of the formation of the NO . RTII-. InsisertLAN!) and NEWCASTLE VOLUNTBRIt VALRY, by transmittin , to Lieutenant -Colonet Brandling the Sum of ° Three Hondrefl Pounds, td aid the extraordinary expences necessarily incurred io the establishing of , this patriotic force. The Mayor and Corporation of Newcastle had previously voted qne Hundred Guineas for the ' same purpose. . . ,!'he York Herald states, that the story which has been copied from The York Gazette, into most of the Ptipers of the Country, about a coffin having been lett at Lord GRANTHAM'S door, is wholly a fAhrication. Lord MILFGED has offered to raise a third troop of Yeomanry Cavalry, to be added to the twb troops already under his Lordship's command. The Earl of GLASGOW iS to be appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire: he resigns the Office Of Lord Lieutenant ot the county ot Renfrew in ta your or Lord, BLANTYRE, who is to L. nominated his successor. THEATRICAL REGISTER. Performed Last Night. Til EA IRE ROYAL, Daultv-Lans.—The Siege of Belgrade The Seraskier, Mr. Braham ; Lilla, Miss Byrne. After which, Jack and the Bean Stalk. THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN.-The Comedy of Errors ; Dromio of Ephesus, Mr. W. Farrell; Adriana, Miss Ste phens. After which, Harlequin and Dun Quixote. *** For THE COLONIES, see the Last Page. PRICE O . STOCKS THIS DAY AT T% 3 per Cent. Red...... 3 per Cent. Cons. 67// 68 67/ 31 per Cent. • 77i 77 4 per Cents. 3 per Ct. Nary Ann... 1021/i ELY o'CLuCK. Bank Long Ann... 17 15-teths India Stock eosi India Bonds .. 9s. 10s. 9s. pr. Exch. Bills, 2d... par Is. dis. Cons. for Account 69iiii MAILS. Agatvin-1 Dublin, 1 France. Due-1 Dublin, 2 Waterford, I Guernsey , iind Jersey, 1 Holland, 1 Gottenhurgh, 1 Lilbon, 1 France. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning, 49 minutes afteroo. Evening, es minutes after 11. THE SUN. SOLEM QUIS DICERS FAI.SUM AUDEAT LONDON , TUESILIY, JANUARY 11, 1820.