The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-10 00:00:00

PROM THE EVENING PAPERS OP YESTERDAY.
(From the Globe.)
Warned by Lord E.don, that Prince of Prophets,
whose inspiration it was, and is, absolute profanity to
doubt, that " from the moment the Catholic Relief
Bill became law, this country would no longer have a
Protestant King or a Protestant Parliament,"—with
this solemn warning sounding in their ears, the Duke
of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel pressed onward in
their course ; and, by passing the Bill, opened the
Constitution to ail who are subject to its laws, instead
of endeavouring, at the risk of destroying the inte-
grity of the empire, to maintain the monopoly for
which Lord Eldon contended, and which the Tories
are labouring might and main to restore. 'rho close
corporation of former dee s being opened by the Act of
1829--for this most sufficient reason, that the exclu-
sionista could no longer with safety venture to keep
it shut—the question now is, can the Relief Bill
be treated as a dead letter by any Government
‘Vill the nation which wrurg from the Duke of
Wellington's expressed fears what had in vain been
claimed on the ground of reason and right, be con-
tent to be proscribed—treated as " aliens" from the
commonwealth—as the Irish Catholics were before the
restrictions under which they laboured were removed by
the Legislature ? This question is one of serious
import to Sir R. Peel ; who, if he has not abandoned
all hope of ever again forming a Cabinet, must,
whenever he makes the attempt, encounter the ditri-
-1 culties it involves. Is the Right Honourable Be-
' ronet prepared to adopt the principle of exclusion,
and thus repeal in practice the law which raised the
1
1 Catholics to the rank of freemen ? Does lie imagine
that the members of that communion will be satisfied
with this mockery of their rightful claims, and that Ire-
' land will be tranquil under injuries rendered vet
more galling by insult ? The first measure of a
Cabinet acting on such a policy must be to con-
vert every town and village in Ireland into a garri-
son. Is the nation prepared for the large increase of
taxation demanded by such an addition to its military
force—for the calamity it would be designed to avert
—the possibility of its inefficiency for the purpose—and
1 the direful consequences of its failure ? To illustrate the
base hypocrisy, the glaring injustice of the clamour
raised by the Tories against the present Government,
on the ground of its acts being hostile to the Protestant
Establishment, it is worth while to refer to the policy of
their own statesmen when in power. 'What, we ask,
would be the outcry raised by the Tories against the
present Ministry, were a Bill to be introduced into
Parliament under its sanction, for maintaining the Ro-
man Catholic priests out of Me public revenues Yet
such a project was formed, and the attempt actually
made to carry it into execution by the orthodox Tories!
(From the Courier.)
We have manifested no indiposition for placing the
conduct and measures of Ministers favourably before the
country when, on occasions too few and far between,
the task has been rendered conscientiously practicable.
In the absence of positive evidence we have indeed at
times rather strained presumption in that sense. It is
therefore with entire satisfaction that we refer to one act
for which credit may fairly be assigned, and in a double
point of view, for the appointment of Sir Charles
Metcalfe to the Government of Jamaica is no less a
confession of past errors than his first proceedings are
fruitful of promise of future amendment in the course
of our colonial policy. The amendment, indeed, was
like a death-bed repentance, the effect of fear and force,
for the Legislature had cut short the further career of
folly and oppression. The Ministry were brought to a
stand-still in the course upon which they had pro-
gressed so far, but yet they had it in their option to
stultify legislative action by executive perverseness, if
pride and passion should so have prevailed. Fortu-
nately counsel more wise and safe predominated ; they
hesitated not to seal the avowal and condemnation of
their own past transgressions by the recall of Sir Lionel
Smith, the instrument, unscrupulous as senseless,
and the nomination of Sir Charles Metcalfe, the
enlightened harbinger of a better policy and a
more happy era. The inaugural address of the
new Governor has already been given in our
columns, and we venture to say has afforded
unmixed satisfaction to all classes of sound opinion in
this country, as in the colony it diffused hope and had
softened the asperities of party already. If to afford
instant relief, and restore the ancient prosperity of Ja-
maica, were beyond his power, and, except by patience
and prudence, out of human power, the expression of
soothing sympathy and of cheering hopes of better days
was not withheld ; and we all know the balm to the
troubled mind which the condolence of friendly feeling
never fail to impart in seasons of trial and adversity.
(From the Standard.)
Ministers are driven to their " old word so."
The Examiner of yesterday had a tolerably long
article to prove that the retirement of Lord Mel-
bourne must be followed by a rebellion in Ireland.
The only chance of a rebellion in Ireland, however,
arises upon Lord Melbourne's continuance in Ireland
—not upon his retirement. The Romish sect, though
very ready rebels and admirable seconds in a rebel-
lion—never take the initiative, or the chief lead at first.
There is a reason for this in the constitution of their
Church. Bishops and priests are too much habituated
to the practice of tyranny, to make manageable conspi-
rators, while the secret is to be kept—when the sacer-
dotal democracy is free from the necessity of keeping
up appearances by concealment, and is able to corn-
-1 municate and debate openly, then Rome takes
her station and lead. Thus it will be seen by
a reference to the history of all Romish rebellions
from that of the League
.to that of Brussels, that the
Romanists always come in second. In Ireland, happily,
there is at present no party to play first, and there-
fore the constitution and the habit of Romanism give
an assurance that there can be no rebellion. But
why should the accession of Sir Robert Peel to
office provoke a Romanist rebellion ? Sir Robert
Peel, we are sorry to say it, has given more to Roman-
ists than all the other Ministers that have governed
the United Kingdom since 1688. And long before
he made that last gift ho had adminis-
tered the Government of Ireland for four or five
years, more to the satisfaction of all parties, Romanist
as well as Protestant, than any predecessor or suc-
cessor in office. But then Sir Robert Peel is con-
nected with a party for which he as a Minister would
be responsible : why surely for the party not for the
individuals, and before 1829 that party, and that
party only, had given to Romanists everything they
could demand, but the one great gift, by which the
Right Honourable Baronet in the year referred
to, tested Romanist fidelity, Romanist honour,
and Romanist gratitude. Why, then, should the Irish
Romanist& rebel, in resentment for the accession to
office of him who (whether wisely or not) has beer
of all men living their greatest benefactor ? We can-
not tell—except it be that Mr. O'Connell cannot
hope for a place from him or expect to govern the
empire in his name.

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The ordinary monthly
meeting for general business was held on Thurscl4
afternoon. W. Yarrell, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. Mr.
Ogilby, the Secretary, read the Report of the Council,
which stated the balance in hand at the last month-
-436/. 18s. 6d.: received since from the sale of Exche-
quer bills, 1,0091. 18s. lid. ; and the general income
197/. 2s. 1 id.—making a total of 1,6541. ss. 7d. There
had been expended on the Gardens, 885/. ; on the Mu-
seum, 83/., and the general establishment, 711., which.
with 505/. invested in Exchequer bids, made a total of
1,505/., leaving a present balance of 143/. A variet3
of presents were announced to the library, and also t,
the Museum ; amongst. which was a large collection of
shells and sponges from South Australia, from Mr.
Harvey, a corresponding member. The number of
visitors in the past month was 184, from which I/. 14s.
was received. Several presents, but none of particular
importance, were announced to the menagerie ; and the
number of visitors in November were 2,094, from whom
681. 12s. was received. The most particular work
which had been completed at the Gardens was the new
monkey-house. Several new candidates were proposed,
after which the Society adjourned to January 2, 1840.

THE ORDER OF THE BATll.—Among the
orders of knighthood stablished in England, one of the
most ancient is that of the Bath, which is supposed to
have derived its name from the ancient custom of
bathing previous to the ceremony of installation. As
to the precise date when this order of knighthood was
established no evidence now remains ; but the first
mention of it in English history occurs in the year 1399,
when Knights of the Bath are said to have assisted at
the Coronation of Henry the Fourth. Froissart says,
" The Saturday before his Coronation he departed from
Westminster, and rode to the Tower of London, with a
great number ; and that night all such esquires as
should be made knights the next day,
f
watched, who
were to the number of' 46. Every esquire had his own
bagne (bath) by himself ; and
of Lancaster made them all knights, at the mass-time.
Then had they long coats withstraight nett dayslei t,ehse, Dukeurred
with mynever, like prelates, with white laces hanging on
the
their shoulders." The purpose of loathing previous to
the act of installation, seems to have been, "to signify
that such as were admitted to this degree should be of a
pure mind and honest intentions,—be willing to contend
with any dangers or difficulties in the cause of virtue,
take care, both in their words and actions, to follow the
maxims of prudence,—and on all occasions religiously
observe the motto of the Order, Ti•la jut-Ida Ia uno,
which implied a true belief in the Trinity."
NEW SYSTEM OF POSTAGE.—On Thursday
last the new system came into operation, when, as anti-
cipated, there was a great influx of letters at the General
Post-office. On the Tuesday preceding 5,425 letters
were received ; on the Wednesday, being the last day
of the old system, the number decreased to 5,091 ; and
oft Thursday the number rose to 9,94, being 4,143 be-
yond the number of the preceding day. A corresppnding
increase has taken place in the letters arciving,—(alc-
donian 2Wercury.
T 4 Provincial Bank of Ireland has raised the
interest on permanent deposits to 51 per cent per
annum.