The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-04 00:00:00

be very much obliged to their rivals to deal
bricated intelligence, and to make themselves con,
temptible. A rich man does not feel that he will be
contemptible because his neighbour cannot pay his
bills; a fine lady does riot think the less of her ball-
dress because there were a dozen or two ladies at
the ball worse dressed than herself. Why do
people take one newspaper in preference to
another, but because they suppose the one they take
to possess the best intelligence, to give the best
reports, arid to be conducted with most propriety and
sagacity. A strange conclusion—that the advantage
of riches is destroyed by the existence of poverty—
the advantage of talents by the existence of im-
becility—the advantage of good papers by the
existence of bad—the advantage of good breeding
by the existence elsewhere of rudeness. Who
could possess Sir James with such a strange hallu-
cination ! Yet he clings to it with all the obsti•
nacy of a candidate for martyrdom for his favourite
doctrines. We have already disclaimed all
,wish
that the conductors of newspapers should be allowed
any more than other persons to injure individuals.
But this is quite a distinct consideration from that
of calling men to account for the opinions they form
of public men respecting their public conduct.
Where there is liberty there will be error. All men
do not think alike, all men do not reason correctly.
Opinions and opinions must be allowed to come
into collision; statements must come into collision
with statements, that the truth may be discovered.
The discovery of truth is a tentative process—the
road to truth lies often through error. The Attor-
ney-General cannot discover any new road for the
discovery of truth. Let him abandon his silly idea
of keeping the Press respectable by silencing all
newspapers that are not distinguished for absolute
wisdom, and attend to the means of preserving his
own respectability, which will be found in the pos-
session of a little more common sense.—.[Horning
Chronicle.
We wished it to be understood that Heaven has
not conferred upon us, as it has done upon our
gracious Sovereign, the faculty of being in two
places at the same time ; for it is only a King who
can be supposed to be reading a speech in an old-
fashioned tapestried room at Westminster, while lie
is comfortably enjoying himself before a sea-coal fire
in his royal residence at Windsor. There is a dole-
ful difference between being in his Majesty's gaol of
Neweate and his Majesty's palace elsewhere, be-
cause, while one is in the former place, it is not
convenient for him to be at the same instant in the
House of Commons. Arid, even if we had been pre-
sent on Wednesday morning, the hour of four o'clock
is not the best time to review the speeches of the
" collective wisdom" of the nation, or to do justice
to the measures of the " noblest assembly of free-
men" in the world.—lt will be seen that the House
has consented to the production of the papers for
which Sir Charles Wetherell moved, after one of
the most powerful, biting, sarcastic, and lacerating
addresses for which he has yet distinguished bun-
self. The defence which the Attorney-General
made, notwithstanding the condolence of that illus-
trious patriot and friend of the people, Sir Francis
Burdett, was a curious display of assurance and
humility—of forensic swagger arid ill-digested re-
traction—of mendacity arid absurdity. He indulged
in statements which were untrue—he apologised for
words which he had the hardihood to assert were
misinterpreted—he assumed a tone of candour while
he was writhing with malignity—and while he ad-
vertised his own impartiality arid moderation he bud
riot one solitary fact to build upon, nor a witness nor
a case to which he could appeal. He was forced to
confess that he commenced his campaign against the
Press with the Morning Journal, arid had ended it
with the Morning Journal He was obliged to
admit that his object was to crush that paper, and
prevent its daily exposures of and comments upon
the distresses of the country. His desire was to let
the country sleep on in its misery—to veil the truth
from the eyes of a suffering people—to close up every
chink through which the light from without might
shine on the rottenness within—and make public
opinion entirely dependent upon the sentiments of
the Treasury clerks who crawl arid the scribes who
lie. We thank Sir James Scarlett for this unto.
ward and inconsiderate confession. We did not
expect that so much truth would be wrung from
him, and we rejoice to find that Ministers and their
legal guardian are sensible of their weak point.
Yes ! the distress of the country is the spectre they
fear, before which they tremble, before which they
will yet crouch, and which, as it has come upon
them likes ghost by night, will haunt them till they
are as haggard and marrowless as the weavers of
Coventry or the harnessed serfs of Bedfordshire.
Deeply as we feel for our injured and beggared
countrymen, we confess the situation of the meanest
and poorest of them is more to be envied than that
of his Majesty's Ministers. They may be ragged
and forlorn—houseless arid hungry—but they have
no national calamities to answer for. They may
not wear on their breasts the glittering baubles of
war—they may riot repose on silken couches, or
press the sleepless bed of down—they may not
revel in the superfluities of pampered pride, nor
indulge in luxuries at the expence of the
humble and the industrious—but they have this
consolation—they stand exempted from the re-
sponsibility of being the authors of a nation's
wrongs. The time will come when they will
cry justice, when other men cry mercy in vain.
They may rest assured that this distress under
which at present they groan will yet be their
avenger, and when those who now try to conceal it,
and refuse to remedy it, will be glad to supplicate
that Providence which they have had the arrogance
to criminate. This distress will work its own cure;
and it will do so the more speedily from the circum-
stance that those who deny its existence are too
firmly bound by their creed to retract—too much
infatuated even to attempt to avert what they do
not perceive. One important truth transpired
during the debate of which we have every dispo-
sition to give Sir James Scarlett the entire benefit.
Mr. Peel, though, as a Minister, he was bound to
defend, yet most openly arid most unreservedly
declared himself to be no party to these pre.secti- INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, ALLacn 3.
tions. We thank thesitight Honourable Secretary Samuel Levy, late of No. 18, Bevis Marks, St.
for this candid admission. He has washed his Mary-Axe, auctioneer, was opposed by Mr. WOOD..
hands of this transaction. He has solemnly ROFFE, on behalf of a creditor, named Henry Bath.
affirmed that he had no knowledge of the pro- Another creditor, named Solomons, opposed in per-
ceedings of the Attorney-General till he saw them son,
reported in the newspapers. Heshas thrown all the The insolvent was discharged under the act, in
responsibility and all the criminality upon Sir James July, 1816.• His brother.in-law -was Sampson Ge-
Scarletts-shas cast the leprous liberal off—has left nese, who kept what was termed a " mock auction"
him to the tender mercies of his Whig friends and room, in Cheapside. He was in custody at the suit
the polluted patriotism of Sir Francis Burdett. Of of a butcher, named Nathan, for 261. 10s., of which
this inimitable reformer we shall speak more anon. 141. was money lent, and 121. for butcher's meat.
We praise Heaven that this fungus of an apostate The money was lent in September last, arid the in-
radical has not comniitted himself by airy act of jus- solvent gave him a bill, which became due on the
tice or consistency which could provoke our praise. 7th of November. On the 2d of January, Nathan
arrested him, in the city, but not liking to be con-
His conduct on this occasion was in perfect keeping
with the past history of his political life. A trod- fined in Whitecross-street prison, as it would be
ing patriot is ever a tyrant at heart ; and he who is injurious to his health—(Laughter)—lie immedi-
loudest in its praises over his cups, and when sur- diately sent for his attorney, end got himself re-
rounded by his inebriated adherents, is the readiest, moved by habeas corpus to the King's Bench. On
when the crisis comes, to draw his sword on the the 26th of October, he sold all his household fur-
side of the mercenary despot. Sir Francis Burdett niture to Barnard Sloman for 251. On the 10th of
defending Sir James Scarlett is a problem in December, he purchased some writing desks, &c.
politics which we leave Messrs. Hobhouse and of Mr. Bath, his opposing creditor, to the amount
Galloway to solve when at their next anti_ of 121. 18s., and at Mr. Bath's request, he accepted
versary they drink " The Liberty of the Press !" at a bill for 151. Bs.: he did not sell them at Har-
die Horns Tavern. The man Who could bribe the wick, but at Geneses auction room, No. 96,
guardian. of a child to secure a seat in Parliament, Cheapside. That was what was termed a " mock
and then become informer, and, by concealing the auction."
names of the gpilty, attempt to fasten the shame Henry Bath, the opposing creditor, was a cabinet
upon the innocent, is not a map to shake hands with, maker. On the 10th of December, the insolvent
or even walk with on the same side of the street. i ordered some writings:lesks, tea-caddies, arid work-
He is a betrayer of no ordinary kind, and the- best I boxes, to the amount of 151. 18s., and gave a bill at
wish we can give his friends is, that they may never i five weeks, for that sum, stating that he had been
receive from him a larger share of his support than laying out a great deal of money in purchasing
we experienc4 pn Tuesday ! It gives us infinite property which he was going to sell by auction at
plea-ure to speak of Mr. O' Connell in a far di:- Harwich, and he was therefore short of money, but
ferent strain. His conduct since he entered upon would take up the bill when he returned. All the
his parliamentary duties has won for him tire esteem goods Were sent to the insolvent's residence at Bevis
of his enemies and the respect of all parties. Mr. Marks, bt;t two desks, and the same day the witness
O'Connell is a fortunate man. Had a millionth discovered that the bill was not likely to be paid;
part of the Scarlett moderation been directed r upon which he kept the two desks, and went to the

against him which has been directed against us he
would at this moment have been either in gaol or
in Botany Bay. His attacks on the Government
were passed over in silence. His seditious and even

treasonable invectives were allowed to find their leve,

in the expansive sympathies of the finest peusanty
in the world. Do we blame Ministers for this ? No.

Do we make these acts ma► ter of accusation against
Mr. O'Connell ? No. He performed his part well,
for he has attained his object. He has accomplislitd-
more for his countrymen than all the Irishmen who
ever existed, and from the bottom of our hearts we
congratulate him on his triumph. He bade de-
fiance to a weak, irresolute, abject, and hypocritical
Government—trampled their laws in the dust—

turned their coercive measures into ridicule—

and with his single arm fought his way into the
very centre of the " noblest assembly of free-
men" on whom the sun has yet shone ! Mr.
O'Connell having accomplished this will, we
trust, long wear his laurels untarnished, and, by his
moderation, consistency, and attachment to the
liberty of the subject, put to the blush the whole
treacherous race of English mock patriots. For
ourselves we seek nothing more than the publica-
tion of the whole proceedings connected with this
infamous campaign of the Attorney-General, and
this has been accomplished by the motion of Sir
Charles Wetherell. Mr. Peel stated that it was
unnecessary to move for these papers, seeing that
Sir Charles was actually in possession of them.
But Mr. Peel knew that the motion was not made

for the benefit or instruction of Sir Charles, but for
the advantage of the House and the country. The
motion has placed these documents within the
reach of eTery individual, and when the proper time
comes we shall notice them further.—Morning
Journal.

In The Sun of Monday evening we met with the

Following notice :

" We understand that the Excise.office has sent round
circulars to the confectioners, warning them not to sell
cherry-brandy. This is at least frank, fur the informers
are immediately to be let loose upon all parties who may
contravene the notice. We should be glad to learn how
much the revenue will be befitted by these vexatious visi-
tations ?"

Now we really cannot answer the question as to
the matter of pounds, shillings, and pence; but we
can answer it after another fashion, and in a manner
which our readers will agree with us is perfectly to
the point—and that is, that no amount of gain' can
possibly compensate for the opprevsion, the disgrace,
and the immorality of such a system. Its adoption
is more especially objectionable at such a time as
the present, when tradesmen have difficulty inn
even meeting the ordinary expenses of their esta-
blishments, instead of having spare funds to meet
such vexatious demands as those to which we allude.
The Government, however, appears to be determined
to pursue its system of encouraging informations,
and levying every farthing which the utmost stretch
of the law will permit. Apothecaries, druggists,
arid chemists, have been treated precisely in the
same—or, indeed, after a rather worse fashion—

than the confectioners, for they received t►o notice,
but were treated at once to a stamp-office prosecu-
tion ! The following is the price of selling half an
ounce of tolou lozenges !
" THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. YOURSELF.
" Stamp Office, London.
" SIR,--The Honourable Commissioners of Stamps
have considered your petition, and been pleased to mitigate
the penalties incurred by you to the su►n of 81., which
must be paid at this Ofli•;e within tell days from this date,
to prevent I he• proceedings being continued to recover the
full penalties and costs.
" I am, your obedient servant,
" J. TIMM, Solicitor of Stamps."
[Morning Advertiser.]