The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-21 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We are glad to, see that.„both Houses of Parlie-
meet have agreed to address his Majesty for the
moval of Sir Jonah Barrington from the office of
Judge of the Admiralty Court of Ireland. The
Libel Law Amendment Bill passed through a stage
last night in the House of Lords : we quite accede
to the sensible and candid remark of the Lord
Chancellor, that this Bill is no great boon to the
press ; nor, on the other hand, do we see much
mischief in it. It is altogether an insignificant mea-
sure, though, we cordially believe, introduced with
the most upright intentions. But the libel law re-
quires amendment in its principle, rather than in de-
tail: and Lord Holland well observed, that Mr.
Fox's Bill never contemplated the power which has
been exercised by Judges of interpreting to the
Jury what the Jury ought alone to decide on their
own judgment Ihe question whether a particular
writing is a libel is, according to all the rules of
common sense, as much a question of fact as an
assault. The degree of malice, and the quantity of
injury, can he measured by a Jury, without the
assistance of a Judge, in the former case, quite us
easily and quite as accurately as in the latter. The
East Regard Bill was advanced a stage lust night.
We repeat our regret that so excellent en opportu-
nity of improving our representative system has
been lost. It is true that unrepresented towns have
become wealthy and important; but that certainly
is nor, as some who have not considered the matter
suppose, a reason why they should not have a voice
in Parliament. The whole history of our Consti-
tution demonstrates that such wealth and import-
ance confer the right to be represented.-7Ymes.
The Courier, alluding to the observations in the
Chronicle of yesterday on the subject of the French
elections, says—
" Dues our contemporary, in his burst of virtuous in-
dignation against the electors of this country, who disgrace
themselves by selling their votes for money, imagine that
the British public would be silly enough, if the necessity
for change were apparent, to tike the French electors as
their model ? Does be not know, or does he wilfully con-
eta!, that, although sonic of the machinery of elections in
this country, which we do not admire, is not at work in
France, there is as much intrigue, and much unworthy in-
fluence, on the popular as well as the Ministerial side, and
as great an exercise of the different modes of persuasion in
the election bureaux in France, as in the committee-rooms
of candidates in this country ? Does he not know, also,
that for months before an election in France taker Owe,
elections schools are opened, at which the agents of the
Liberal party assemble, with the professed intention of
explaining to the electors their rights and duties, but with
the real object of working upon their prejudices, inflaming
their passions, and not unfrequently applying those means
against which the Morning Chronicle inveighs with so
much scorn, under the pretence that they are peculiar to
this cauntr7 ? It is quite true that, under circumstances
of extraordinary excitement, the French electors are easily
roused on the Liberal side ; but it must also be allowed
that, constituted as the present system of election in France
is, the electors are more in the hands of a faction, from the
very want of that publicity of proceedings which is cam-
*tied of here, than they would be if they were exposed
to the ' cairdinge and vondeseensime of candidates on the
hustings, We are far from saying that our own system is
not susceptible of improvement; but we should he sorry
to exchange it for one in which the means of corrupting
and 'cajoling' electors are carried on in secret with so
much success as among our neighbours. Those only who
know nothing of France and French intrigue will be im-
posed upon by the description which our contemporary has
given of a French election,"
We do not exactly see how the observatiOns of
our contemporary bear upon what we advanced.
The leading difference between the eleetions in
France and the elections in England is, that in
France the interest of the people determines the re-
turns, while in England the interest of the oligarchy
determines the returns. Who ever supposed that,
in a great struggle for power and ascendancy, the
partisans of the different sides would remain un.
moved ? The success of the Liberals presupposes
great exertions on the part of the influential men
who entertain liberal opinions; and, indeed, it would
have been a gross dereliction of duty had these in-
fluential men failed in such a conjuncture as the pre-
Went to make the greatest exertions for the good
cause, and to have recourse to all possible means of
enlightening their fellow-citizens. As long as men
have passions and prejudice., we may expect to find
endeavours made to inflame the one and work upon
the other; and we have no doubt that both Ultras
and Liberals in Royce, in.seeking to attain their
end, lied recourse to all the means by which per-
emotion can be produced. But the triumph which
has been gained is the triumph of the nation. In
England the triumph which we too often witness, is
the triumph of individuals over the nation. An
elector may well feel proud in France Out he has
contributed to the victory of those to whom he him-
self belongs. In England, the elector has in ge-
rieral cause to be ashamed of the victory to whirls
he contributed, for it rivets his own chains ; he
is like the traitor, who, for a base reward, leads the
enemy into his own camp. That bribery is resorted
to—for that is the meaning of " not infrequently
applying those means against which the Morning
Chronicle inveighs with so much scorn"—can be
true wily to a very limited extent. The Govern-
ment:ls in possession of the disposal of the whole
of the revenues of the nation—a means of corrupt
influence which must far surpass any at the command
of the Liberals. From the very nature of things
there mat be very little bribery on die part of the
Liberals, Their's is the national, the popular cause.
It is they who gain by the ballot, and the protection
afforded by the secrecy of voting. It is understood
f that if the voting were open, the feat of power
would add to.the votes in favour of Government.
yr the voters were bribed to vote contrary to their
conviction, the ballot would enable them, if so in-
dined, to vote in favour of the Administration.
The story of bribery, therefore, refines itself. The
Liberals are not such fools as to seek to bribe Ultras,
who, by means of the ballot, might still vote
ietaiiiiit them ; and there is no main bribing those
who are already inclined to vote in their favour
without it. We are far from saying that the French
Liberals may not be under the influence of error at
well as other people. No system can guard against
error. But st hat we contend for is, that the pre.
sent system of election in France has been proved to
he admirably adapted for, giving effect to the views
end opinions of the people, whatever the views and
opinions may be.—Morning Chronicle.
The fall of Algiers is a subject of curious cons
templation. Itor centuries that nest of pirates
violated the rights of humanity, and set at defiance
the whole Christian world. Secure in a situation
which they vainly fancied to be impregnable, their
vessels went forth to gather the spoil of all nation.
upon the waters—to carry the hibubitunts of all
countries into bondage, except those whose Go-
vernments submitted to pay a degrading tribute to
purchase an infamous protection. It is true that of
late years they had become less insolent and less
f midable, particularly since the naval tam of
England had been put forth to chastise them, and
smote, but spared, the see-bulwarks of the ishmae-
lites of the ocean. Yet that lesson of severe but
imperfect retribution bad only checked, not sett-
dam] their audacity. Their predatory State had
sisen into importance by the practise ofviolenee, of
blood, end rapine. The evil which their esietence
inflicted upon othei a could not be cared but by,
their extirrtioe. We rejoiee that there was one
nation of serape that deterieined upon delivering
h notify from this efilictioti, tad that not more
}coldly conceived than vignrotld executed the great
s"
shint4tY if ever Ythere was, an act of
rterrilikieniattideciesnietuwthosmitimiies. if ever military force
sanction, it was here.
The artillery that burst tsra
carried into effect the deeiseeette,' 11. Algiers only
end, had it levelled lb 'la just vengeance;
e .prouo city with t
han he
earth, it would have (lotto no -•
dieted the deserved punishment tott"u'lee t
whose crimes Nil donned them to o,',lmett,'il.tis
We care not whether the Cabinet or Fes,:.',*
had political motives for the expedition iteiteit
this den of -muritime robbers which were t. l
,r.erent
from the pretended cause of quarrel with the I)ey