The Sun.
London, England, 1830-11-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The present Administration has entered into
office at a crisis which has been truly described as
without a parallel in our history; but in proportion
to the greatness of the difficulties with which they
will have to contend will be the glory of overcom-
ing them All the resources and acquirements of
superior statesmanship will be requisite to achieve
such a triumph ; but they must rely, above all
things, on the mend force of political bona sty.
They must stand or fall by the pledges which they
have given, and the principles which they profess.
Their hold upon public opinion will be the tenure
of their power. If they should justly forfeit that,
they will fall even more speedily than their prede-
cessors, inasmuch as they stand more deeply pledged
to the reformation of public abuses, the abolition of
useless and corrupt expense, and the enforcement
of those principles which may secure to the public
their undoubted rights, and restore the pure excel-
lence of the Constitution. The leading error of the
Duke of Wellington's Goverment was the mili-
tary spirit by which it was directed; a dictatorsl
policy ruled the Cabinet, and domineered over the
country. The Premier, either from an ignorance
of the qualities requisite in statesmen, or a desire
that his Administration should borrow its only
lustre from himself, selected the most incapable
Cabinet that ever attempted to administer the affairs
of a great nation. Some of its members were smart
and active In the details of office, bit; none of them
had either fixed principles' or those capacious and
luminous views of national interests which could in-
spire the country with respect for their integrity or
itch-1)4110o of their wisdom. At their entrance
into power they made abundant professions of ie.
troducing into all the departments of the State an
effective system of retrenchment and economy;
and their whole practice, with the exception of cut-
ting down the small salaries of ,working clerks, the
emoluments, of hall.pay Officers, and tooliliers'
was In contradiction to.: their praessums.
The great and overgrown eorruPtion. of ~thc State
remeined untouched...family influence had Parlia-
mentary connection were a bar to the reformation of
abuses in church and State, and rendered: venality
sacred. The drones of the hive were still Pampered
with the honey which they had not wrinight--the
great sinecurtsts still revelled in their unearned
riches—and the children of industry implored the
remission of their burdens in vain. Instead of con-
ciliating public opinion, an attempt was made to in-
timidate and suppress it by a revival, in' its most
persecuting spirit, of the odious and unconstitu-
tional doctrines of ex-ryficio informations. Nor
wes this arbitrary power, thus unhappily called
into action, the less odious for being wielded
by an officer of the Crown who had sacrificed
4 popular character to the seductions of a
bad ambition. From the hour that the Press was
persecuted the fall of the Administration might have
been foreseen. From that time we predicted that
its continuance would be without honour, and its fall
without dignity. its declaration against reform, and
its determination to intermeddle in the affairs of
Belgium, were only further evidence of the narrow*
and dangerous spirit of policy by which it was ac-
tuated. Political infatuation was closely followed
up by financial imbecility. Sinking by the weight
of its own unpopularity, one vigorous and successful
effort of its Parliamentary antagonists was sufficient
for its extinction ! The present Government has
the advantage of having at its head a men long
known to the political world for those statesman.
like talents which, though long excluded from
power, have reflected lustre on the Senate of ,Eng-
land. It is true, his advanced age,, if it brings with
it the advantage of great experience, must here
somewhat diminished the energies which the dime.
don of the affairs of a great empire, at a crisis of
unexampled difficulty and peril, may besupposedso
demand. But his character for high and unblemished
integrity in always refusing to accept of place ut the
sacrifice of his principles, united to the enlighlened
moderation of his views, justly attracted, to hiM the
public confidence. Though austere in his dentin-
' ntent, and littachett to' his -order,- he' has
during a long public life, unequivoeel'prooi of a
comprehensive regard for the rights of the whole
people. Wring no unworthy jealousy of the
tier of others, ha has formed an Adminiatredois
strong in the variety of talent which it posartiste.—
But, disposed as we are to presage well of such ti
Ministry, we we will only judge of It by its setts.—
We know that die temptations and • dangers by
which it is beset would task the severest public
virtue and wisdom; and we do not, therefore, pre.
some to forestall the verdict of the country. As wo
have already said, this Administration must ;amid
or fall by the pledges which they have given, and
the principles which they profess. The chief inten-
tion of the public will be directed to their plan of
Parliamentary reform. This will be the criterion of
their capacity to govern a country circumstanced us
England is at present; for all persons who ran rea-
son on political affairs know that a system of re-
trenchment and economy can only work a temporary
relief, unless the potatoes of venal and corrupt influ.
once be closed by an effective reform in Parliament.
We stated the other day our view of the sort of
Parliamentary reform that ought to satisfy the
coup-
try. We shall soon know Whether that which Mi-
nisters intend to propose coincides with it or not
bur, as far as things hare yet gone, we cannot but
congratulate the country on a change which, what-
ever effect it may have on our domestic circum-
stances, seems to insure the preservation of the
peace of Europe.—Morning Herald.

The parties which have been already ," in face"
of each other in the House of Commons may be
said to have committed the first act of hostility last
night. It wits an affair of no groat consequence, but
the promptitude with which the videttes were re.
inforeed is an earnest of the hearty manner in which
the conflict will be maintained when it 'comes to the
" shock of battle." Mr. Croker, with a party of
small arms, made a spirited, if nut a tierce attack
upon the most astatilsble part of the enemy's posi-
tion, anti sustained it with so piling a discharge
that it seemed to require attest gen upon the other
side to silence him. The noise of the heavy ord-
nance was heard in reply—it was as sounding es
ever, but it may be slaked, with regret, whether its
Rath was so bright, or its fire so effective, as. of old
it was wont to be ? Mr. Croke; accused Loral
Brougham for sundry breaches of faith ; first, with
his constituents; second, with the House of Com-
mons; and, third, with the country at large. He
repeated the pledges Oven by that Learnod and
Noble person—volunterily given—or his bringing
forward the question of Parliamentary Ileform on
Thursday, come what would, and happen to lie Mi-
nister who might, This ple Virtu dge Wes solemnly
in the House, and seriously in private conversation.
Mr. Croker painted the disappointment of Hon.
Members, who, he was pleissed to suppose, would
be coming up to town on Thursday, innocent, no
doubt, of all that had bean ecetirriAlg in the meets
time, to attend the summons of the now Noble Lord
upon that all-important question. lie nest alluded
to the disappointment of the public, deprecated-the
suggestion that the node* was originally given by
way of a threat to obtain a better place under 'the
new Ministry, but concluded by expressing As hope
that the whole was susceptible of explanation, Sir
Jemee Mackintosh rested hie reply nudely upon the
unfairness of reeking a chugs) against tiny member
of the Government, not only in the absence of the
member himself, but deny of his actual coileegues.
He questioned the source frorn.which Mr. Croker
had had the evidence of the declarations said to have
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