The Sun.
London, England, 1830-10-12 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TIII PUBLIC JOURNALS.

As might have been espeetek the wale of affairs
in the Netherlands continues to he a stihjek of daily
discussion with the Preia Paris. The :journals
are neerly utittflitnol/0 of course in sopporting the
cause of the insurgents, and in condetrieing the
course pursued by the 'Royal Government, but it it
gratifying to observe that the great majority of
them declare loudly against any kind of intervention
on the part of France. The violent jitcobinical
party, whose element is civil disturbance and pas
Nigel change, call upon the. Government to send
succours to the Belgic inaurgents; :and are endea-
vouring to encourage bodies -of Volunteers to do
what their Government ha* refused; hut we. do not
observe that their clamours produce much effect.
They speak of a body of 600 "adventurers who
were to leave Paris for Belgium, if a sufficient subs
seription was raised to equip them for the cam-
paign; but though the Panamint are willing to give
their good wishes to the cause, they are Trot disposed
to sacrifice their purse* The prudent determination
of the French Government to remain at pence with
all Europe,--the moderation and good sense of the
organs of public opinion in Frake, who 'wisely
prefer the certain consolidation of the national
liberties to the doubtful advantage of an extended
territrityrs,sand the general feeling in the Chums
hers and the upper classes of society that they
have enough to do at home, ere strong guarantees
fin. the non-intervention: of France in Belgic affairs.
This state of:things can only, hewever, be main-
tained so long as other nations likewise abstain from
interfering. Were Prussia, as the ally of the King
of Hand, to send troops into Belgum in the pre-
sent struggle, it might not be possible for the
Frenth Goverment to restrain the ambitious ardour
of its army from such a tempting field. King Philip
end his advisers are only now required to exercise a
little self-denial in repelling tenders of submission
offered HA the price of protection. They have only
to lend a deaf ear to Belgic traitors ; but if Prus4a
interfered, they would have to resist, not only
Belgic importunity, but the feeliegi of pride and
the passion for conquest which throb in the brcasta
of their own people. Even thoegh willing, they
would find it impossible effectually to restrain the
enthmiasm for war which would he excited in
Frenchmen by the sight of Belgians imploring sinc-
erer, with offers of paternitalirm, and Ptitssians
leagued with Hollanders to atthjugete their friends
and threaten their frontier. It is, therefore, most
desirable that no demonstration of interference
should be made on the port of Prussia, and
the wisdom, as well es the fears, of the Prussian
Cabinet are u security fur its pacific conduct.--
Strong hopes are said to be entertained in various
pans of Belgium, that an enangement may still be
brought about on the original terms of an administra-
tive separation of the two divisions of the kingdom,
with the appointment of the Prince of. Orange as
Viceroy in Brussels. The Ghent Journid declares
the great ma,is of the citizens of that great mantis
facturing town desire nothing more. But it is evi-
dent that no such treceornmodation can be effected,
so long as the Provisional Government of Brussels
exists. It has made an appeal to it tuitional conven-
lion, and before the convention meets it promises to
have a constitution of the republican stamp ready
for its adoption. It may, by the way, be mentioned
as it rather singular circurnstence, that the two
members of this constitutiottal commission, vomi-
noted by Dc Potter, should likewise be members of
the !loyal Council of Antwerp, nominated by the
Prince of Orange. We shall see by the next ar-
rival which master they mean to serve. Oncof the
Paris Ministerial Journals (the Menagee des
Chambres) not only urges the Belgians to be Wk•
lied witha separate edneinistration, but volunteers its
advice 011 the best way of settling their new relations
to Holland. The Journalist recommends that the

new title of the King should he that of Hol-
land and Belgium—that the Prince of Orange
ihotild be made Viceroy of the litter, and reside ut
Brussels,--that the act of separation should be
drawn up by commissioners from the two countries,
elected for this Special object : mid the Thinee should
alkw the Provisional Government to'exercise its
functions; till the di finitive arrangement should be
settled. The financial administratton should be
di.-
f ; Belgium bearing none :of, the debt oflifol-,
!mid, mod paying no civil list to, the wing; 'butiothig
quit for a fixed provision to support the Prince.YThe
Deputies of Belgium would meet at Brussels, having
been elected by the new law of the Provisional Go-
vernrnent, and the Provincial States 'Would hare-the
power of nominating a 'Senate for life. Theee, two
Chambers would settle definitively a' constitution
which the King and the Viceroy would be obliged
to swear, Antwerp might be allowed to remain at-
tached to Holland, to avoid all questions Ana the
navigation of the Scheldt, and all angry rivalry on .
he part of Amsterdam. The question of the cus-
tom-house duties, and the commercial relations be-
tween the separate divisions, to be afterwards 'set-
tled. Such is the advice given .by the Messoger der
Chambres to enlightened Belgians, who would thus
(the journalist says) avoid the inconvenient forms of
a Republic, while they enjoyed all its advantages.
Neither foreign nor domestic counsel of -this kind is
likely to be attended to by the party now at the
head of affairs in Brussels.—Times.

The report of M. Berenger on the proposition to
abolish the punishment of death, is an elaborate 'pa..
per. Although it contains some str►k►ng passages,
and traverses a wide space of (possibly irrelevant)
disquisition, the real interest of this report is much
enhanced, if not in a great degree produced, 'by its
connexion, in time and circumstance, with the ap-
proaching trial of the miserable Polignec and his
colleagues. The Reporter first buckles to his busi•
ness by inquiring into the right of punishing aim:-
111113 by death. "In the infancy of society," says

he, " us at present, the right was merely that of
'self-defence,' extended or contracted in the progress
of society, according to the advance of civilization.
The kr talionis was, perhaps, in horbarnits age., the
Brat title of retributive justice known io inftelkind;
blood for blood---cruelty for cruelty." but the
Reporter, we conceive, is incorrect where he
refers this savage mode of ptinklintent eltietly
to a sentiment of vengeance, and but incidentally
to e sense of the benefit to be drawn from ex-
ample. On the contrary, when the supreme
power of ti state has inflicted capital punishment,
either in *lady or in recent times, the motive has
been generally a desire to worn by example, and
but very rarely, and as an exception to the rule,
any thirst for vengeence on the criminal. When,
as sometimes happened, the low of a turbulent and
warlike society tolerated in individuals the right to
punish a wrong..doer, against themselves or their re-
lations, any desire to serve the state by making an
example of the culprit went, of vourset for littler qtr
with
" But it is the simple punishment of death itself,
got' let being these
the dispensers
spirituider
of
which !Ideal ro7titii et lae
invariably
without allioiion to its objects or motives, which it now
behoves the Committee to investigate;
4. The inviolability of human life between man an 4
nla
mu
is,—csn being
society be n all
l7ays roelstt ed
ssi bboy philosop ty, the question
ey
nounce to lire or►ti of
Reporter professes' to
y " philoittwphy" net
(co,issiosotinAeessfereralfmotrielilur:sioaiseeitrilaict
atiell‘g:levveoyeftilogriletifluat(eihtdmil apeiel)tnimi
t:oalbsayiftyy::crtal
thiptiteteritriooi,
this point, which, viewing it abstractedly, the Coni-
nstderat►un .of ;fr}ct e,
hy an appeal to utility, muperirog.the
punielituents• with those:
ed) which liow from
it‘htah"tePrt innadeon:trZitt:ol:ll:nritirePtllagreertanslttabljeenstilgionxitermainet'l cannot the death is,
r6fore lio
it is csrraitr that lrsam;
runieymil
tiersinadaealniewt:ittlea;asf:lool ft: auc.ffrsii.tittlileiei
ens:
nmaglytultennuttg4ilni
mit present. the saint rears *MI
of moral guilt.
punity of athinees ..-.ien_
Punity to the criminal, hut danger and wrong to society,
the judge sod jurors, in dreed of applying *

punishment diaproportioned to the mime, acquit the guilty
party, and throw him again loose upon the world.
" the, most ferocious criminals are less teraid of
death-than of other, and, nonli"""Yr nril.ler punithtnents.
" By inflicting death on one culprit, the opportiooity of
moriug, Anyknowle(l.,:e of his eiettinilleettonml thereby
rendering% mere extenalve „servio societyla its at once
abanctoneef. The posibility of hayieq; oarr.eet ,%ofronao,,
judgment given ca,e liecoun.,s quite friONfmll
we reflect that the sinitl,bre-so prorionneSal bas ti mused the
death: of a fellow-createre. o • -
4‘
,But the paha of death doves net operate as' a warning
against crime. Crowds asseloble to wit:watt-every towel.
ennui and rogues are fount to exercise their gait around
the very platform of the guillotine.
" The frequency of earitil executions' tenth to barbarize
a. nation.
" if the Government leis small respect for the lives of
eitia,no, how will they have any for human life among
theinselves?"
Thus, says the Tteporter, 'knee been alike demon-
' ousted the inefficiency of capital ,penilitoent,
`its dengers. After presenting a short history of the
efforts made tinting the (silly stage of the French
revolution to abolish this terrible punishment, and
of the clung! of hitell exertions having failed to every,
practical porpo,t, the Report.? refers to those Ilfe.
ila WVII its modere, amongst wheat it
had been laid 'lt me, during two aeon,-
ries nod a Nil, abatained from the infliction of ca,'
pital ponisharent nit any of her own eitiaona,
zcheth of Russia did the same for one-andstwenty
years. The Grand Duke Leopold of TnicanY
like-
wie discarded it ;' and such was the good effect of
this mitigation of the penal system upon the peopl,
of that beautiful duchy, that atone time, time prisons
were left altogether unoccupied. F'inland, the
Emperor Nicholas has, proclaimed Alm obolition
of the pain of death, The state of LoniSitma,
in North AMerica, has, followed the same, coarse :
and the Semite or, the 'United Steles. :are now
considering the suhjeet." The .itePorters how'
ever, forbears to recommend the total Ail.-
lion of this penalty., He recites the cases which
will no longer admit . of it,—regard hail
to the spirit of the age, 411(1 to the scruples of ju-
rors,--4orgery, infanticide t 1/11(1 that Class of house-
*burnings which does not appear to meditate the de-
struction of human life",---arc", one anti all, exempted.
He finally treats the topic of politic 4 offences, and
strenuously recommends (mbetgb,he concludea with-
out formally propitaing) that for the whole ma,. of
such offences, " peniahment, not. merely capital, but
personal—Viz. cutting off the hand, perpetual iro•
prisomnent, branding, &e.—should disappear from
the criminal code of France." The latter part of
the report seeing to have been listened to with pro-
found attention, but we are by no Me4llll Well coo-
vinced that the crime of high treason, which tends
immediately to the destruction of life, and to the
desolation of a whole community, ought, from'
tives of compassion at lemt, to be ;visited 'with
clia-tistment less signal and solemn than that of
death.r What the effect upon the public mind of
Francs might be by am:opting to save the
eters of Charles X. under the provisions of en ex
past facto law, n e cannot at this mometo venture
distinctly to anticipate; but King Loota,Philip ha l
better reflect before he encourages their einteiment.
--Thom
We :have received a letter, in the shoe of a
pamphlet, " to the Duke of Wellington, On the ex,
peoliency of making Parliamentary Reform a C.,-
bittet measure." It is generally totd4stood that his
Grace has it in contemplation to propose some men-
sure of reform. That the reform will be extensive,'
or indeed of much practical value, edo net:be-
lieve, because the Ati,stocracy of the country arc /10t
prepared to concede What would ;Jive to the people
the means of protecting themselves agithikt
We attach 110 great importance, In 106 way
of immediate effect, to the cortilleinieutlon of the
frenehisit to three or four great town, hut the prin-
ciple that uhrises in the representation may he re-
needled is of importance, and sfi :car We h mil every
commeetement, however insigoi (leant. The author
cif this pemphlet'sets out with observing—
it' Year Grace wont.' do well in con4cler: Whether time
*math* can be thee stifled notch longer: And if it' can.
hot, whether, if 4.4 not made it'Governmeet measure,
it will not be forced upon .Governmentagaihst its will?
Perhaps you may suppose that, ahoubt the latter come to
pews, and Government be compelled to yield, the results
will be the pane as it the Government had voluntarily
brought Mtwara' the measure. Far 604084 however,
would he the consequence,. Intrialure. the measure
un-
asked, and as unexpectedly as you (lid the Catholic
and you may Satisfy nine4chthe of the reformers with a
moderate and reasonable change. Wait, however, till the'
measure become% irresistible, and then lunch mere wilt he
required.
" If you will immediately concede Reform 'NA a boon,
yen may new-model the Representation almost as you
please, The Aristocracy will remain with their hatedl-
tory privileges, and the Government be improved with.
mot any meta upon the 'Laurie of Lords. Wait, however,
till you me beaten by withholding ti e anpplies met para.
lysing the comae of GoVornment, what would you. Own
du ? Concede what would now satisfy the inample? That
trill Its no longer enough. Mach more trill ihen be
granted."

It is observed by the' historiOn'nobertson that
there ore instances of 'Monarchs, under the influence
of conscience or' caprice, reeigning the power they
possess, but that there' is no houttnee of any body Of
men voluntarily tesigeting power. The oligarehy of
England will not voluntarily yield up their power.
Da the oligarchy were forced in the case of the, GI..
thuheili. it is now proposed Rho) to compel them.
And how this is to be done the 'writer tells uS
" firmly eight or ten Members will unite, arapertina-
dowdy 'lnv all supplies and other pirMic laisiness, unril
the Executive Clovartment ho' completely paralyscrl, and
at it stand-what tvonlil your Grote do in ,13 1i a dih? roma ?
Follow the example of John and Charles L, end yield
or would you rather imi,itte the srentul Charles, by shut-
ting up the Ezehequer . Sporting 'neon:lo)p make :it a
subject for batting ; and it would he amusing to by.
sunders to mark the odds; from time ,r) titne, according
as Ministers appeared to iodine' to the one course or to the
other. ,
•
It was admitted in the last Session, that.eteinghtMem-
her might hamper Ministers exceedingly, by opposing all
their motions, nod stopping' business altogether when less
than forty Members were preient.' But.streb an opposi-
tion would soon be defeated, as an individual might be ab-
sent occesiortally, apaches would,be, ; and his
motions, if not seconded, :would not harms the Muse
with constent divisions.
" But, let only ten Mems x. unite together, en as to in.
sere the certein attendance of shot six, of them whenever
any public Inpineas is to come on. Suppose now„the Mi-
nister to move for a supply, as he usually does; at the cum-
trieneement of every &alio, hour's delude open this
tralitoinetY titetetion rniglit he sadly produced. Oratory
would not be requ'red, the °Meet being only to kill time.
Bence, toughing and other similar hints to bad speakers
would avail nothing Thoy -would rather assist a speaker
than impede him; because. by quittly stopping, till theY
had ceased, he would, only roe the clock advance, the very
mid at which be is aiming, Neither wool,' empty benches
silence him, as he would be. speaking neither to please ..toir
to convince: nevertbelese there must remain Members
enough to make It noose, or One of his colleagues would
immediately move that it should be counted.
11 When no more time could be consumed'opon the pro-
litulasry question, 'then woidd be 'the moment f.r reeving
: an amendment ; when a new delude' eOuld be raited"sgeht.
PrOceteding thus, without relaxation, by follo'whice
question upon question, as far as the forms of the House
would allow, and hilling..time still further by coming to
actual divisions when necessary, where would Minister,
find themselves at the end of only a single week? They
would complain of the consequences of such an oppost,
Iron t. but it would he Without pity, if they bad been duly
411verlirt0 on the first day. of the Seeeiop that such pro;
cmlibps would be adopted until they would concede the
demanded reform in the tqweaentation of the people, . •
The ',Notting Members must make up their minds.tO he
proof against every entrentY,' however urgent the calut may
be. Mutiny Act for 'the army, stoppage of the money to
pay the ensuing dividend* or any other the most pressing.
&manila must be totally Sisregariled ; grid the more aMr
triter "Inttid comideirts the more he must be told that
ein;h slit' ntsitios are preeltiely the ends -proposed by the
cdrposition, Nay, furthers the favourite expression of Mr
Atudag about corruption might then brought in to
thi^ir airs,. t the system works
" as woukt be snob en orgunitedP pi Aaiun
thete would be nothing illegal in it, s.neth,ned
by
the
forme of the Muse, Ministers tsnmtd have ots redress.
s* Again r if, Instead of a few Members nienwiet,,,i
y