The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-02 00:00:00

THE SUN,

of a dilapidated Ministry might, on being
recognised and acted upon, have been
viewed as suggestive of a similar effort
in regard to the unsightly pile of masonry connecting
at Lambeth the river banks of Surrey and Middle-
sex. After relieving the country of the old Whig
Cabinet, the new advisers of the SOVEREIGN might
not inappropriately relieve the Thames of old
Westminster-bridge—erecting in the place of the
latter a more symmetrical structure, as they had con-
structed in lieu of the former a more definite and
comprehensible Government. But no—on the Ist
of April, appropriately enough—it was simultaneosly
announced that the consent of Lord J. Mammas was
withheld from any measure such as the one suggested
by the Member for the University of Oxford, and
the ballads of Lord JOHN MArotsas were announced
to be again on sale at the RIVINGTONV. The archi-
tectural improvements of the metropolis would seem
to have been added to that " wealth and commerce,"
to those "laws" and to that "learning," which the
laureate of Young England wished to behold sacri-
ficed to the Moloch of " nobilitie." It matters
nothing that the "silent highway," the principal path
for the traffic of the wealthiest capital in
Europe, should still be disfigured by the most dis-
graced structure in the shape of a bridge that could
well be imagined ; it matters not that that structure
was declared to be in a dangerous state six years ago,
and that the demand for its destruction was two ses-
sions afterwards pronounced to be imperative—the
carrying out of the suggestions made by the last
Westminster-bridge Commission involved the neces-
sity of a somewhat inconvenient exertion to some of
the members of the new Cabinet, and therefore this
postponement! All that could last evening be
extorted from the Chief Commissioner of
Woods and Forests was the production of a
note relating to the subject under discussion! Lord
JOHN MANNERS consented to lay upon the table of
the House of Commons the letter referring to the
stability of the present bridge, written by—a gentle-
man whose name must be regarded as peculiarly un-
lucky under the circumstances—WALLEß.
Although it were superfluous and little less than a
waste of time, under the peculiarity of the case, at
present to enter into any detailed examination of the
arguments contained in the report of the Westminster-
bridge Commission of 1851, it may still be observed,
as bearing somewhat forcibly at this moment upon the
question here under consideration, that the document
referred -to cloies with the seven subjoined resOlu-
dons, and those resolutions, moreover, let it be re-
membered, agreed to unanimously :

" 1. That the present bridge should be used as a
temporary bridge until a new bridge shall have been
constructed.

" 2. That a new bridge should be constructed ad-
joining, or as near as possible, to the present bridge on
the north side, that is, lower down the river.
3. That the new bridge should not be less than 60
feet in width, including the footways.
" 4. Tnat it be constructed of iron, with stone piers.
5. That it consist of no more than five arches.
" 6. That the height of headway of the centre arch
above Trinity datum be not less than 25ft. 6in.
" 7. That it is desirable that no time should be lost in
making'preparation for the commencement of the work."
Whether the new structure (that, we must still hope,
is "to be") should be built upon the model of the
bridge at Southwark, or whether, instead of being
east-iron, it should be granite, built in a manner likely
to harmonize with the elaborated gothic pile
of the new Houses of Parliament, is a question
which admits rather largely, of course, of argu-
ment, and might not unreasonably be reserved for a
little further consideration. But whether active
measures should or should not be adopted, with a
view to remove the existing bridge and to substitute
a new one in a contiguous situation, can scarcely
admit any doubt whatever, after that final
resolution of the Commissioners, to the ef-
fect " that it is desirable no time should
be lost in makileg preparation for the com-
mencement of the work"—the work of removal
and reconstruction. In defiance of which resolution
the matter has again been referred to another session
by the Commissioners of Works, speaking in the
name of no Government. When is this deplorable
system of procrastination to terminate? When is the
country to be haunted no longer by that word of
" damning iteration"—postponement, postponement,
postponement ?

There is, after all, to be no further inquiry into
the case of Harwich. The House of Commons last
night, after a prolonged discussion, decided against
the proposed investigation, and ignored the bill of in-
dictment that had been preferred against that rather
notorious constituency. Hear this, ye BLAIGS and
EDWARDSES, and rejoice !—uplift your voices in exul-
tation, your honourable occupation is not altogether
gone ! It is true that ye may no longer have the op-
portunity of exercising your skill and ingenuity in
the scene of your former labours ; but there
are many St. Albanses in the field, and many
zealous labourers in the cause in which
ye have already signalised yourselves, and whose
future doings may cast your frunulanz exploits into
the shade. What encouragement will the majority
of 42 afford to these exemplary gentlemen in their
laudable vocations! The golden key, or some equally
significant token may again be hung out. The House
of Commons has extended the shield of its protection
over a constituency where not only the electioneer-
ing proceedings have been most loudly and generally
complained of, but where the existence of habitual
bribery and corruption has rested on something more
than mere suspicion. It was a decision worthy of
tw)se who rejected the ballot, who refused to
protect the voter against intimidation, or to place
him in a position where the sale of his vote would be
ail but impracticable. It would almost seem as if the
Right lion. and Hon. (i'r,,ntlemen conceived that these
practices formed an essential part of the British Con-
stitution, and that whenever they were completely
abolished the sun of England's glory would be set
for ever.

divi3i.,u of last night, combiaM with that
of Tuesday evening on Mr. HENRY BERKELEfat
motion, will unquestionably exercise consider-
able influence on the approaching elections.

It will prove thatan occesionel scapegoat is
all that is p-quire -
d—that if a. St. Albans should be
convicted, a
After all, the position of
would be suffered to escape
with comparative i
borough is of rather
the house towards the inculpated
lan anomalous character. It refuses to issue the
Harwrnicpn'unity.
writ fora new election in place of that which had
been declared null and void. It
thus assumes the exis-
tence of at least a certain deeTee ofguilt,
but refuses to
institute any searching inquiry into that guilt, with
a view either to have it clearly established, and pro-
per measures founded thereon, or to have the character
of the electors exonerated from so serious a
charge.
It goes even further than inexorable RHADA-
MANTHI:S. Ile first punished
and then heard the
complaint; but the popular branch of the Imperial
Legislature punishes while it refuses a hearing. IVe
can scarcely wonder at the step taken by the Hon'
Gentleman the Member for Finsbury, who, although
a strenuous advocate for inquiry, yet gave notice,
when that inquiry was rejected, that he would move
that the SPEAKIIIR should forthwith issue his warrant
for the election of a burgess for the borough of Har-
wich. We doubt not that the lion. Gentlemen will
obtain a majority, and that those who have delibe-
rately refused inquiry will assist in carrying What
can only be considered as an act of amnesty for all
past offences of the electors and representatives of the
borough of Harwich.

"What is a pound ?" W3B a question triumphantly
asked by the late Sir ROBERT PEEL, and repeated,
vsyne ad nauseant, by his followers, the plutocrats
and bullioniets. The Right Honourable Baronet
d?iined the meaning of the term to be "neither more
nor less than a definite quantity of gold, with a mark
upon it to determine its weight and tineness."
Interested parties, those who were living in idleness
upon the fat of the land, and preying upon the
bowels of industry, accepted the interpretation with
joy, and considered the party by whom it was
put forward as " a DANIEL come to Judgment." It
WEN at that period the interest of the drones in
the national hive, to insist on the letter while disre-
garciing the spirit of their contracts. They seemed
to forget, or rather to misapply, the principle enun-
ciated by Jogs LocKE, that "Men in their bargains
contract not for denominations or sounds, but for the
intrinsic value." If this doctrine had been observed
it would follow, 53 a matter of course, that when
gold becomes unduly appreciated, so that the 5 dwts.
a gr4).wkcl; were v.r44.;,)" pv..gl4 clAibLe