The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-24 00:00:00

THE SUN,

eland 05Mt

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 24, 1852.

Another letter, it will be perceived, has been
written by Lord Joliet RUSSELL—but this time
neither ill-considered nor intemperate. It consti-
tutes a document which in importance must take its
stand, as an historical paper, with the celebrated ad-
dress in which the Noble Lord first announced his
recognition and acceptance of the Free-trade princi-
ples. Nothing, indeed, could be more judicious than
the strictly unimpassioned manner in which the ex-
Premier has compiled an epitome of the more re-
markable achievements of his Administration
—while presenting himself once more before
the great metropolitan constituency as a can-
didate for their representation in the ensuing
Parliament. Experience has manifestly operated
well in maturirg a judgment formerly liable to be-
come obscured by prejudice or warped by infatuation,
and in allaying a vivacity too often leading to mi-
nisterial haste and legislative precipitation. In
offering himself once more to the electors of the
city of London, Lord JOHN RUSSELL has wisely
restricted himself to the record of what he has
done during the existence of his Cabinet.
Not a syllable, of course, about all that has
been omitted! Not a word about sanitary
improvements. Not a word about the ballot. Not a
word about the more equal divisions of electoral dis-
tricts. Not a word about the property qualification.
Not a word about further economy in the amount of
the annual disbursements. Not one in allusion to the
taxes upon knowledge—or in reference to the desired
changes in criminal jurisprudence-3r in regard to
the necessity of comprehensive innovations in the
form of Chancery procedure. Once, and once only
the ex-Premier breaks silence upon a matter in which
the last, like so many preceding Administrations,
displayed nothing better than the most culpable
apathy and the most shameless procrastination ! We
allude, of course, to that passage in Lord JOHN Rus-
SELL'S address to the electors of the city of London,
in which the ex• Premier acknowledges the claims of
the people in regard to National Education. " Vo-
luntary effort," he says, " has done much, but the
means of instruction, even in reading and writing,
are still unattainable by a great portion of the
working classes." Yet—with this proclaimed
again and again, to very nausea, during the last
quarter of a century—how far did the Whigs
endeavour, during their late possession of power
under Lord Joule RUSSELL, any more than
during their sufficiently protracted command of place
under Lord GREY, and subsequently under Lord
MELBMTRNE, to ameliorate the condition of the indus-
trial ranks of the :community, by rendering know-
ledge to them more accessible, more alluring, or,
morally and socially speaking, more wholesome ?
Why, it is notorious that throughout the last five or
six years, when much benefit of this kind might have
been accomplished, they have not wagged a finger in
the cause, they have not even breathed a whisper as
to the advisability of any such educational im-
provements. Indifferent upon the subject while
in office however, they are, as usual,
1 oud in promises of activity immediately they
find themselves thrust back upon the benches of op-
position. It is a circumstance strictly in keeping
with the whole of the Whig policy, and therefore it is
by no means surprising to find Lord JOHN RUSSELL
in his electoral address now• a-days repeating the old
cuckoo cry of reform—afterwards indefinitely post-
poned and conveniently forgotten. He observes in
this somewhat delusive strain in reference to Educa-
tion—" I can only say I shall pay unremitting atten-
tion to a question which so deeply affects the
future condition of the people." An assu-
rance, it must be admitted, sufficiently vague
and unsatisfactory. So that while the " vo-
luntary principle," contemned as insufficient by
our statesmen, is practically ameliorating, in this most
important matter, the actual condition of the masses,
the population must rest satisfied with these specious
promises of an improvement that never arrives—an
improvement forgotten in Downing-street and re-
membered only in Chesham-place! Surely, the
holders of the red boxes and fingerers of the red tape
must drink copious draughts of political Letbe when
devouring whitebait in their Ministerial dinners at
Blackwell. It must be an official beverage at least,
one would imagine, with which Mr. LOVEGROVE is
not altogether unacquainted. Upon one considera•
tion the majority of the discerning must, at any rate,
be decided as to this unfortunate project about Na-
tional Education. We may rest satisfied that LAN-
CASTER and BELL may successfully carry out novel
and meritorious schemes of tuition, that WILDEESPIN
may found infant schools throughout the United
Kingdom, that NYSE may collect together in one
masterly volume arguments the most irrefragable and
statistics the most undeniable, that PINNOCK may com-
pile catechisms, that CHAPMAN and HALL may issue
penny maps, that CHAMBERS may publish shilling
editions of the classics, that CHARLES KNIGHT may
supply instruction to the masses through his nume-
rous cheap periodicals, that CHARLES DICKENS may
convey
knowledge under the most alluring guise
through his inestimable Household Words, that all
this mayb€ersatccomplished beyond even our most
sanguin
anticipations, so that every village is gradu-
ally obtainingragged its pedagogue and every rookery its
school—but
ecttehdatinuntthile soormgeaniezxattrioaonrdoifnatrhye
change be
House
their
oo f f Commons
effortsi cantself' no energetic encourage-
ment be reasonably expected
even from the most liberal Cabinet, even from a Cabi-
net in which avowed Reformers hold the principal
reins of the government! For the vivid perception
of
dd thises s
of truth
thindebted to the electioneering
wele aaderredeparted
of the
the Unfortunate leader
in his reference to Education, Lord
,JOHN
RussELL is singularly happy
ar
in his allusion to
F
Trade—the policy
upon the
maintenance of
which be chiefly rests his claims
le
to the continued
support of the metropolitan constituency. Here it is,
moreover, that the Noble Lord very gracefully re-
marks—"
this struggle I have played a secondary,'
„
but not unimportant part. lure •
counting the
benefits in the way of free trade already secured to
the nation by the two preceding Cabinets, he re-
minds the metropolitan electors how far his own Go-
vernment followed up the policy so daringly and
magnanimously adventured
of Sir ROBERT PEEL. In this epitome of the achiev-
ments effected by himself and his illustrious pre-
decessor, Lord JOHN spoke of the gradual reductions
from 1842 to 1845—reductions completed that year
by the total repeal of the duties on corn, followed up
under the Whigs, in 1846, by the repeal of the
differential duties on sugar, and in 1849 by the repeal.of

the laws affecting navigation. Allusion is of course made '
likewise to the diminution of the light dues, to the
r e-organization of the Merchant Seaman's Fund,
and to the increased provision for foreign and colonial
packets. As to a crowning testimony of the success
of these memorable innovations, Lord JOHN RUSSELL
then refers to the financial statement recently made
by the present CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—
according to which statement it was observed that,
during the ten years last past, Customs duties
have been repealed or reduced to the extent
of 9,000,0001.; that Excise duties have been
repealed or reduced to the extent of 1,500,000/. ; that
Stamp duties, in 1850, were reduced to the extent
of 500,0001.: that by commuting the window duties
for a house-tax relief had been afforded to the extent
of 1,200,0001.: that whereas in 1842 the produce of
the Customs, Excise, Stamps, and Taxes, was
48,000,0001., it was in 1851 only 46,600,0001, and
that though the relief to the country has been fully
12,200,0001., the loss to the revenue has been only
1,400,0001.! It might, however, have been more
generously added by Lord JOHN RUSSELL in
the course of this remarkable calculation,
that out of the reductions to the extent of
9,000,0001. made during the last ten years
in the Customs' duties alone, the larger proportion had
been effected not by himself, but by his lamented pre-
decessor. "In 1842," for example, he might have
said, " nearly 1,500,0001. were in this manner struck
from the revenue ; in 1843, 126,000/. ; in 1844,
279,0001.; in 1845, upwards of 3,500,0001.—whi1e
the subsequent reductions were restricted to
1,150,000/., in 1846; to 343,0001., in 1847 ; to
578,0001., in 1848 ; to 384,0001., in 1849 ;
to 331,0001., in 1850; and to 801,000/.,
in 1851—making the enormous aggregate of
nearly 9,000,0001., as already intimated." It
was not thus, however, that Lord JOHN
RUSSELL offered a tribute of deserved homage to the
memory of Sir ROBERT PEEL. His object is, to be
sure, not precisely that of pronouncing a funereal pane-
gyric. He is ambitious of being returned once more
, as Member for the city of London; and consequently
the Noble Lord endeavoured to represent his free-
, trade achievements in the most favourable light

in anticipation of the meeting of the
electors announced to take place this day
with a view to examine into the claims of the respec-
tive candidates. The ex-Premier has acted, there-
fore, in this matter, " wisely in his generation." It
remains to be seen whether his former supporters are
prepared to pass over all the sins of omission which
have marked his Government rather prejudicially, and
whether they are willing to accept the somewhat
stunted and scanty reforms of the last five years as
affording sufficient surety of the good intentions of
the now Leader of the Opposition.

It is really amusing to observe the difference o
the Whigs in office from the Whigs in opposition
Pinup drunk and Pinup sober, was nothing to it
The fact had been notorious, it must be admitted,long
before the resignation of the late Government. But, not-
withstanding our familiarity with the extraordinary
nature of the contrast presented by the Whigs when
installed in Downing-street, and when on the benches
confronting the seats of the Treasury—we
were (let us candidly confess it at once)
altogether unprepared for the glaring and
absolutely astounding transformations which
have taken place in the members of the ex -Ministry,
and their supporters, since the morning of the well-
remembered resignation. It is not forgotten, of
course, that shortly after the accession of the Earl of
DERBY and his political adherents to power, LordJoHN
RUSSELL—that very Lord Joins RUSSELL who had
at one period of his life been identified with the
principle of finality, that very Lord JoHN RUSSELL,
who when still Prime Minister of England had dis-
gusted all sincere and earnest Reformers by
his narrow and wholly inadequate project for
the re-organization of the Lower House of
Parliament—surpassed the hopes even of the
veteran Member for Montrose by that speech de-
livered at his private residence, in the course of which
he virtually accepted one or two out of the well-
known points of the People's Charter. The in-
creased enlightenment in regard to Reform
which has fallen upon the mind of the
ex-Premier since he was reluctantly com-
pelled to walk across the floor of the House, and
take up his position on the front bench of the Oppo-
sition, has happily since then been extended to one
or two among the personages connected with his
Government. Viscount EBRINGTON is about the
most recent illustration of the fact, that Noble Lord
having on Friday evening revealed a marvellous
change for the better in his disposition as an advocate
for sanitary improvement. Upon the London Ne-
cropolis and National Mausoleum Bill being brought
forward for the purpose of being read a third time
and passed (a ccurse actually taken at the close of the
discussion), the Noble Viscount the representative of
Plymouth rose, pursuant to notice, in order to urge
upon the consideration of the House the advisability of
an amendment. He complained that the principle of
compensation to the clergy was recognised in the
measure then submitted to the Legislature, and in-
sisted that it should be formally renounced by the
Parliament. Everyone remembers how the late
Cabinet behaved in reference to the previous enact-
ment about extramural interment. Everyone re-
members that the Bill—which, under the sanction of the
Whigs, passed into a law—empowered the clergy to levy
a sort of ghoul-like impost upon every corpse con-
veyed to the suburban cemeteries for interment.
From the first we insisted upon the odium certain to
result from these and other concessions to the eccle-
siastics. We protested against the principle before it
was formally assented toby the Houses of Parliament.
We protested against it while it was passing through
the various stages in the Lords and Commons, and
subsequently still more loudly and energetically
when the project had resolved itself into a sub-
stantial enactment. Yet—now—as if Lord
EBRINGTON had suddenly made some won-
dneorfuklindandof astounding diirtscothveisry,ma
attnear de%-solveidf
upon the preceding Administration, he comes for-
ward deliberately to protest against the principle
of affording the clergy compensation. Inasmuch
as he recognizes the folly of this principle at
the present moment—we rejoice. It is grievously
to be lamented, however, that a similar course was
not pursued during the existence of the last Govern-
ment ! In addition to this, moreover, on Fri-
day evening, Lord EBRINGTON referred in
highly and deservedly complimentary terms
to " Mr. GEORGE ALFRED WALKER, the able
and meritorious pioneer in exposing the abuses
of intramural interments." Why, surely this is that
same Mr. WALKER whose very existence seemed
to be ignored during the whole time Lord EBRING-
TON was associated with the late Government. But
then the Whigs were in office—and now they are in
opposition ! Driven from power, they suddenly open
their eyes to the recognition of a fact with which the
rest of the country have been more or less familiar
for the last twelve or thirteen years—the fact
that to Mr. WALKER'S untiring and humane exer-
tions the country is indebted for the revelation of
those horrid statistics, the publication of which may
be said to have first set on foot the whole of the
great sanitary movement. Yet only on Friday
evening last did Lord EBRINGTON appreciate
the labours of that eminent public benefactor—and
then only, because the Whigs were in opposition I
It were well, we conceive, for the lovers of
reform throughout the United Kingdom to
mark vigilantly the acknowledgments, the con-
cessions, and the assurances made by the
principal members of the Whig party during the
period of their continuance of this same wonderful
opposition. Like Captain CUTTLE, we would " make
a note of " their avowals " when found"—so as to
demand the redemption of their various promises
whenever their good fortune carries them back to the
perilous and responsible heights of Government.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SUEGEONS.—The following
gentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations
tor the diploma, were admitted members of the college at
the meeting of the cou.:, of examiners on the 21st inst.:—
Messrs. Henry Vandyke Carter, Scarborough, Yorkshire;
Thomas Frost, Hucknall, Torkard, Nottinghamshire;
Michael Hurley, Dublin ; Samuel Foiey, Army ; Thomas
Boor, Crosby, Gosberton, Lincolnshire ; Robert Benson
Lewin, Trinity-square, Southwark; Andrew Nesbitt Edwards
Garsting, Lancashire; Augustus Charles Shout,
Riddell, Aurungabad, East Indies ; Robert Aulezaek Cunliffe,
Samuel Athanasius Cusack, Dublin M • Davis.hane,
; Maurice
Oxfordshire;" • -
a,..c1 Edward upapjj, Dirkliplguet
Cola Shire, Hampstead;

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of Saturday
and yesterday
The PRINCE PRESIDENT presided on Saturday over
the meeting of the Ccuncil of State. The subject
under consideration was the Education Bill. The
Pays reminds its readers that the EMPEROR used to
take great pleasure in presiding over the meetings of
the Council of State, his presence tending to excite
the ardour of debate, without interfering with the
independence of members.
A note appears in the Moniteur reminding all
gmeral officers and other officers, at home or abroad,
that the oath of fidelity must be forwarded under
their hand by the Ist of June.
A second note gives information to persons desirous
of presenting petitions to the PRINCE PRESIDENT,
that in consequence of accidents which have occurred
he will not receive them during his rides. Such p-
titions must be left at the palace, and will be specially
considered.

The Courrier of the Gers of the 18th says—" We
are informed that all the members of the council-
general of this department, connected in past times
with the Legitimist party, have hken the oath."
M. LEGRASD, ex-collector of taxe!,, who hr-I been
transported to Africa, has been pardoned by the PRE-
SIDENT of the Republic, and has retulaed to Bar-sur-
Aube.

The punishment of transpoOation to which M.
CLAUDIUS BRUN had been tentencel, and that of five
years' imprisonment to which ISIDORE GENT, the
brother of the person of that name who was E9llt out
to Nouka Hiva was subjected, having been com-
muted into banishment, these persons were last week
removed from Belleisle, to be taken to Havre, where
they are to ba embarked for England."
We read in a Paris letter, in the Independance of
Brussels—" The reception of the PRESIDENT at the
Elysea, on Tuesday evening, was not very numerous.
The only curious incident which it presented was the
presence of M. GRANIER DE CASSAGNAC. The
PRESIDENT, it is said, conversed with him a long time.
Surrounded immediately after by groups of general
officers and senators, the writer of the Constituaonnel
related that he hid received in the course of the day
several challenges, without counting anonymous
letters, for his article on Generals CHANGARNIER and
LAMORICIERE ; and he said that he had replied to the
challengers that he could not 13 at the disposition of
all those who might please to call him out. In one
of his replies, M. DE CASSAGNAC is stated to have said
that But DE LAMORICIERE and M. CHANGARNIER
should settle their affairs themselves. This, however, can
only take place in the event of M. DE CASSAGNAC
making a journey to Belgium, or of a decree of the
PRESIDENT of the Republic recalling the generals.
The decree is more than improbable; rod as to the
journey of M. DE CASSAGNAC, I know not if be is
disposed to undertake it. The lett2r referred to is
said to have been addressed to M. SAINT P—.
This gentleman expressed himself in strong terms to
M. DE CASSAGNAC, but at the same time declered
himself a warm partisan of the PRESIDENT."
The distribution of the Independance of Brussels
was stopped at the Post-office on Thursday, by order
of the Ministn. of General Police. The reason (says
the Independance) wr, that some detoqs were given
of the sitting of the Leg'slative Be dy on the 18th, al-
though the official minu' s of that sit:;ng had not, in
consequence of the rijournment of the Chamber, been
communicated to the newspar 313.
The marriage c: M. PERSIGNY with Mille. DE LA
MOSKOWA has been postponed for s;x weeks, in con-
sequence of the death of the brother of the latter.
The Constitutionncl, in a notice of the debates in the
English House of Commons on the Militia Bill, in-
dulges in some satirical remarks on what it pleases
to call the folly of John Bull. In closing its article,
it says :
" Will John Bull be flDgged or not? That is the
question which now (.7cupies the attention of the En-
glish Parliamen*. It may be reelily supposed that public
attention is on the qui vice rod every hea-t roused. We
hold that John Boit ought #) be floggc 1. He flogs his
troops and a spirit of , irrlity demands that he should
be subjected to similar treat-nen'. This, however, is his
own fault, for be had only #-) tcma,n cptlet rid attend to
his business; it hes pleased to insult his neighbours,
to call for arms, and t-) play at soldier- Since the oat-
o'-nine tails and the musket go t-7,,ether with him, he
who takes the one must receive the other."
The bidding io general dung the sc:ond day of
the sale of the pictures of the SOULT Gallery wrs not
as spirited rs on the fiat day. The whole sum re-
's seta was s'at-i by the auctioneer ceived for the day
to be 271,145 f. Murtimo's " Melt. Dolorosr," a
wonderful figure, went for 10,600 f., and the " Via de
los Dolores" of MORALES for 24,000 f. (altogether
below its yziue), both 1 'ing purchas-3 by Mr.
TowNSEND. " The P;7lit ins) Egypt," by Mc-
RILL°, and " The AFT.: pie of St. Diego," by the same
great master, were reap-ctively knocked down for
51,500 f. and 85,500 f, the fitit to M. LEROUX, the
other to M. GEORGE.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCH IiNGE, MAY 22.

Charleroi and Erqueline,', 14%—Great ind;an Peninsula,
514—Luxembourg, 35/B—Namur and Liege, 65A—Northern
of France, 22.34—Ditto, 20/. 3 per Cenl-. Bonds (formerly
Bolougne and Atr'ens Share),l3l,4—Orleans and Bordeaux,
151/B—Paris and Lyons, 10N,—Paris and Strasbourg, 21%i—
Sambre and Meuse, 43i —Tours and Nantes, 11 :—Western
of France, 7

SPAIN.

Our accounts from Mdrid are of the 18th.

The Minister of the Marine had not been named.
General ConnovA had resigned the office of Director
General of Cavelry, and wes succeeded by General
PAVIA.

•
A Madrid letter dated the 17th says—" The Mi-
nisters have completely given up all idea for the pre
sent of carrying out their so much talked of coup
etat, having b:come alarmed at what might be the
results of such a step. This p"occ?ding will so
weaken them, that at no very distant petici the fall
of the whole Cabinet may in expected.. Messrs.
Moir and PIDAL pre spoken of 89 likely to repll'ae
them."
In the event of the recession to power of these
statesmen, respect for Parliamentary Government
will be the ruling princ;ple of the new Adminis-
tration.

MADMID BOURSE, MAT 18.—TF. Three per Cents
43 9-16 ; Exchange on London, 50 50.

GERMANY.

The Official Journal of Vienna announces a reduc-
tion in the State expenditure of 14,208,290 florins.
There will be a decrerse of 2,600,000 florins in the
budget for the army. It is hoped that the loan will
produce 35,000,000 florins.
The conflict which has for some time existed ba-
tween the Government of Baden and the Catholic
Archbishop of Friburg, in Brisgau, has terminated.
The Archbishop has issued a p istoral lettsr, directing
a solemn service to be celebrated in all the churches, to
thank Heaven for the blessings showered on the coun-
try under the preceding Sovereign, and to implore a
continuation of them under the new Prince.

--------
wag a grand review of the troops
Berlin by the King of PRUSSIA and
ofthe
0t
the
in the
r garrisonr
09r t
ofh ,
athere
tR us s T
he KING wore the uni-
form of a Prussian general, and the EMPEROR that of
the Colonel of the 6th regiment of Prussian Cuiras-
siers, which bears his name. There was an immense
crowd, end when the troops filed off to the music of
the national hymn of Russir, there were loud and uni-
versal cheers.
There is a long article in the Paris _Wats on the
commercial differences between Austr:a. end Prussia.
The writer examines every part of the question, and
comes to the following conclusion :
We wish for a good ECcor i t3tween Austria and
Prussia; we desire the peen of Germany. When
France is pacific, when she wants merely her frontiers
and her political independence, the most certain sign of
that disposition is to desire to ass Germany unitad and
not divided, We e therefore desire the union of Germany,
and consequently we read with a sincere satisfaction
some time back, in the Augsburg Gazette, that the im-
portance of the difference now existing t3twcen Prussia
and Austria ought not to b thought too much of.' This
difference is like all those which have taken plane for
the lest three years between the two powers. There
are many reciprccal attacks in the journals, but in the
end they will come to an understanding. Vienna and
Berlin will at Int finish by concerting together for a
treaty of commerce which will pretty well satisfy both
parties; there will be, before craving at that denouement,
many a warlike demonstration, but the force of things
will cause that all this alarm of war will also have its
011mutz,"

ITALY.
Le Risorgimento of Turin of the 20th states as the
current reports relative to the ministerial crisis, that
the Chevalier CIBRARRO will be the Finance Minister,
the Marquis SPINOLA. having declined the post. M.
Bmio has refused the Ministry of Public Instruction,
and M. Gzurdo wra talked of es likely to accept it.
It appars, therefore, that the ministerial crisis is not
yet overcome.
A letter from Florence of the 14th, in the 0 pinione
of Turin, states that tho bronza tables bearing the
names of the Tuscans who fell in the battles of Mop-
tanara and Curtatone have been taken away from the
Church of Santa Croce by order of Government.
aecree
The Grand Duke of Tuscany has issued decree
directing of the
directing that the works for the enlargement
st a b 1 i
il3,he
ed
established
troops,
port of Leghorn shall be commenced forth4nti-" The
The Journal de l' Ain of the 19th,
forsay ssome days
French Government has' authorised
General KALBEEmArrEft a men in
past the pontifical government to enlist.
France. A central recruiting stationßiosm
at Nantua, and two officers of the , y,
Captain 1/UPASQUIF 13,
passage over its territory
effected enrolments in the
pontifical government has
are in that town to direct the proceedings.
Catholic cantons of Switzerland. The Sardinian
Government has refused a
to the recruits." and Cap

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