The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-03 00:00:00

TIE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, IS3I

SIR FRANCIS 131J1IDETT AND THE
GONSTITUTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sir,,—Among the most remarkable circumstances attending
die criapge Of politics by Sir yrancis 13urdctt, may be placed
Mat s` t;
of his n6ul, sp'c;,..:l4 of if, ';,ll4titution."„ The, time was,
Mr. B'ditor when he,treated the existence
is a ihere,c,r,.,at,urg,of the Imagination= as lmagmatlonaa.terni used very
Iteforniers; iii crater to justify prOcecd-
ings, but which they could not cave upon
to do so. _ _

Where, Sir, has the Hon. Baronet found this long-lost
document ? Has he discovered it in some worm-eaten charter
or record, in one ol'our public repositories ?--Or hee he found
it among the clauses and schedules of that Reform fnr
which he called out so vehemently before it was obtained, and
upon which he turned his back soon after it was passed?
Should this letter chance to meet the lion. Baronet's eye,
perhaps he may have the goodness to ansiter the above ques-
tion, for the information of those among the Westminster elec-
tors who are, at the present moment, quite as anxious to get a
peep at this long-hidden Constitution as ever he was, when
standing forth as the popular leader of bygone days.
I have the honour to remain, Mr. Editor,

Your most obedient servant,
BRITANNICUS.

POOR-LAW AMENDMENT ACT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—l have been requested by the Churchwardens of
Ashton to correct a report which appeared in your paper of the
aith March, stating that I presented a petition from them in
favour of the abolition of Church-rates. The only petition I
presented from them prayed for a repeal of the Poor-law
Amendment Act.

I shall be much obliged by your insertion of this in your
next paper.—Your obedient servant,
CHARLES HINDLEY.
14, Queen-square, Westminster, May 3.

SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES

TO THE EDITOE OF THE SUN.

SlR—Your observations in The Sun of the '2sth on Presi-
dent Van Buren's Address on Slavery in America, afforded me,
'and, I suspect, every philanthropist and lover of freedom, the
greatest satisfaction. The course you seem to be taking is
evidently the right one to effect the abolition of slavery in
America; for notwithstanding the sturdy independence of our
western relations, there is still a strong and increased respect
for the opinions of the good and wise of the another country.
And I humbly suggest that addresses from large and respect-
able public' meetings in this country to Congress, imploring
their attention in respectful terms to that deep blot on their
Constitution and history, would give an impulse to so good
and great -a cause, that even President Van Buren and the
slaveholders of the south must bow to. And should there be
anything in the intercommunion regulations of this or the
American States, of which I am at present not aware, ob-
structing the free communication of citizens of those respec-
tive countries with the Legislatures of either, then, probably,
resolutions passed at public meetings in the spirit of honest and
friendly exhortation, would produce a moral effect in America
that nothing could resist. Our Government, nor any, nor all
Governments upon earth, would probably be able in any re-
presentation on the subject to produce the slightest salutary
effect; for our American friends, justly proud of their Con-
stitution and independence, would consider a suggestion or
remonstrance from a foreign power as insulting ; and, falling
back on their prejudices and their strength, would give it a
haughty and fierce reply. But truth, justice, and humanity,
spoken by an entire people to another, their connections, in
the language of kindness and conciliation, would be received
as it was sent, and its effects would be glorious and happy.
It is a fearful disgrace to the United States of America,
that in all that vast continent, she, the freest and most civi-
lized, should be the only one to contain within her territories
so gross an injustice as slavery and all its horrors. It is in-
deed to me a question whether despotic Prussia or Austria
produce so much slavery and injustice in the aggregate as does
the United States in her 2,000,000 slaves. lam sure, search
these countries through there will not be found one solitary
case of concentrated misery so great as meet your eye at every
house in the Southern States of America. Is this not a shame
and a crime which cries to heaven for justice—which will be
visited one day on the heads of the American people?
President Van Buren's speech has given the death-blow to
his re-election; and at the end of four years this great ques-
tion will be so advanced, that another President will be
able to point to the emancipation of slaves as the happiest act
of his office, and the most glorious since their independence.
Leaving the above suggestion to yourself and the good
people of our country,
I am, Sir, your most faithful servant,
Newcastle, April 28. PHILANTHROPOS.