The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-29 00:00:00

of either, because, with the exception of one
or two individuals, who, the parties know, will
not alend, no person is allowed to enter unless
he approves of the object of the ineetine., and what
they call argument is only abuse of their fellow-
creatures, and the foulest and most uncharitable
imputations against men most exinplary both in their
moral and religious conduct. Is it not disgraceful for
Englishmen and Englishwomen (for the meeting con-
sisted chiefly of women), to sanction such a falsehood
as the following, directed against the clergy of three-
fourths of the people of this country ?—'' That this
meeting is constrained to pronounce that no confidence
can be placed in their promises, no reliance on their
professions, and no credit given to their oaths." And
the men, too, who make these atrocious charges, as if
in utter scorn of all that is sacred, talk of imploring
the Divine assistance on their labours I It is fortunate
that the influence of these itinerant demagogues is not
equal to their malignity, else a civil war must be the
inevitable consequence. The Catholics, much to their
credit, display true Christian patience, and to the great
annoyance of their calumniators, treat these imputa-
tions with supreme contempt. Mr. M•GiieE and
Company know well that the Catholic Bishops will not
enter into a controversy, and that they disapprove of
any of their flocks entering into controversy on such a
subject, because they have learned, from all history
and all experience, that neither party can convince the
other, and that the only result of such disputations is
the excitement of the worst passions of the human
heart. It is mockery then to say that there is fair
play, and it is infinitely worse than mockery to trum-
pet forth to the public that their sole object is the
maintenance of the true religion, when, as the speech
of Mr. O'SULLIVAN demonstrated, their great and
chief aim is political ascendancy. The public, howe-
ver, begin to see • through the trick. The subject is
every day becoming more stale. This season there has
been no ingenious device to amuse the audience. The
name of PETER DENS now only excites a smile, and
we confidently hope that the time is approaching when
he and the Rev. Mr. M‘GHEE will be treated as old
Almanacs.

We have received the copy of a Petition to the Im-
perial Parliament from ANDREW BENT, of Hobart
Town, Van Diemen's . Land, successively Proprietor,
Conductor, and Printer of the Hobart Town Ga-
zette, the Colonial Times, the Colonial Advocate,
and at present of Bent's News—setting forth a long
list of oppresssions to which Mr. BENT was subjected
by Colonel ARTHUR, late Governor of that Colony,
whose hatred the petitioner appears to have provoked
by his zealous exertions to establish the unrestricted
liberty of the Colonial Press. Along with the copy
of Mr. BENT'S Petition we have received a Pamphlet
embodying the whole of the correspondence between
Mr. BENT and the Colonial Government in 1827-8,
relative to the granting of a license for the
publication of the Colonial Times and the con-
ducting of the Colonial Advocate—and having
read it over carefully, with the opinions there-
upon of the Colonial Press from 1830 to die lat-
ter end of October 1836, we have come to the certain
conclusion that the allegations contained in Mr.
BENT'S Petition should forthwith be made the subjec:
of a Parliamentary investigation. To say the least of
it Colonel ARTHUR'S conduct was arbitrary in the
extreme ; and it reflects no credit on the vigi-
lance of the Colonial Office, that a Governor—
if he be so disposed--may exercise the most de-
spotic power over the great bulk of the inhabi-
tants of a distant Colony, without the least appre-
hension of being subsequently called to account for his
misdeeds. Parliament, in such matters, leaves too
much to the discretion of the Executive Government.
Our Colonies, with all-their boasted independence, are
regarded by four-fifths of theMemberS of the House of
Commons as mere Crown dependencies—adjuncts of
the Empire, cognizable only by the KING in Council
and the Colonial Secretary. The fact of their exist-
ence is no more than an episode in our social history ;
and the subject of their grievances is more frequently
considered an impertinent interruption of the routine
of Parliamentry business, than as embodying matter
imperatively demanding the immediate consideration of
a supreme legislative assembly. Were it not for the
praiseworthy exertions of Mr. HUME and a few Liberal
Members of the House of Commons, the individual
grievances of hundreds of Colonists would never
reach the ear of the Parliament or people of Eng-
land. Governors have generally the power of stifling
complaints—for in most of our Colonies to pro-
voke their wrath would inevitably entail ruin on
any private individual, and all belonging to, or
sympathizing with him ; therefore, none unless
driven to desperation would dare to complain ; and
even were he to do so, without powerful support else-
where, the utmost extent of the benefit accruing to him
would be, a laconic intimation that his petition or re-
monstrance reached the proper quarter, was investi-
gated, and of course referred back to be determined by
the pei petrator of the injury complained of. This
has occurred times out of number—it is in fact a ge-
neral rule from which there would be few cases of ex-
ception were there not HumEs, and WARBURTONS,
ROEBUCKS, and O'CONNELLS to make the people
of England acquainted with the culpable nec;ligunce
of the Colonial Secretary, and the cruelty and oppres-
sion of the Colonial authorities. That the British
public may be enabled to form a conception of the
merits of Mr. BENT'S case we annex a copy. of his
Petition to the Imperial Parliament, to which we in-
vite the attention of such of our readers as take any
interest in !he executive proceedings of our Colonial
Governments :

To the Right Honourable and Honourable the Knights,
Citizens, and Burgesses of Great Britain, in Parliament

assembled.
The humble petition of Andrew Bent, of Hobart Town, in

the fsla::d of Van Diemen's Land, Printer,

Respectfully sheweth—That in the year 1813, your F.,3_
titioner was appointed Government Printer, by his Honor
Colonel Thomas Davey, Lieutenant Governor of this Co-
lony ; and continued so during the whole of his administra-
tion, as well as during the whole of the administration of his
successor, Lieutenant Governor Sorell-,-a period of eleven
years.
That on the arrival of Colonel George Arthur, in the
month of May, 1824, as successor to Colonel -Sorel!, your
Petitioner was the sole Proprietor of the only Newspaper
then published in the Colony, called the Hobart Town
Gazelle, and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser.
That fifteen months after the arrival of Colonel Arthur,
your Petitioner was deprived of the office of Government
Printer, which was conferred on Dr. James Ross, who also,
with the sanction and assistance of Colonel Arthur, pirated
the title of your Petitioner's Newspaper. In consequence
of which piracy, your Petitioner was compelled to abandon
the title of his Newspaper, which he had established at so
early a period of the Colony, and 'to commence another
Newspaper, called the Colonial Thnes. That after this ,
Journal had bean in circulation two years and three months,
Colonel Arthur and his Council passed an Act, which
came in force on the 19th of October, 180, imposio,g
Stamp.duly of twopence on every Newspaper, and also
prohibiting any person, under exorbitant penalties, from
printing or publishing a Newspaper, without having first
obtained a license for that purpose from the Governor.
Your Petitioner, after having repeatedly applied for
and helm refused a license, to print and publish a
Newspaper, awl having embarked the whole of his pro-
perty in buildings and nnti.triala for carrying on his
Newspaper, was compelled, for the support of Ilk PUMP-
rous family, to publish a sheet of Advertisements, which
contained no other matter, under the title of his former
Journal. At length, finding that the Governor was deter-
mined not to grant him a license, your petitioner sold the
copyriat Of leis journal to 'Mr. James Austin, who was
also refused a license, k.riptvn 1414 by was to ern,
ploy your Petitioner in the printing' 'department. was
Pe-
titioner was, in consequence, compelled to release Mr.
Austin from the purchase. And, on the 28th of Deceit;
her, 1827, lw mowod bis applicokEl rsir hi; licFnset which

w;ls recommended by fifty of the most respectable inhabi-
tants. This application met with a positive refusal, with
an intimation whiCh convinced your Petitioner, that
Colonel Arthur hod determined never to allow him
a license, to print and publish a Newspaper. Your
Petitioner next entered into an agreement with Mr.
Joseph Tice Gellihrand, a leading practitioner in the
Supreme Court, and formerly Attorney-General of the
Colony, for the sale of the copyright of his Journal, with a
condition that your Petitioner should be employed in the
mechanical department. But, so determiaed was Colonel
Arthur to prevent your Petitioner from making a living
by his trade, that he informed your Petitioner, that a li-
cense would not he granted to Mr. Gellibraud, if he em-
ployed your Petitioner as a printer ! ! To provide for his
numerous family, your Petitioner continued to publish a
sheet of Advertisements, under the same title as his
fornr.r Journal ; and he also published a monthly periodi-
cal, entitled the Colonial Advocate. After this pe-
riodical had been published for eight months, the Govern-
ment resolved to suppress it. The Editor was a young
man under the sentence of the law, and a Govern-
ment Notice was issued that any convict, detected
writing any article for a Newspaper, should be im-
mediately sent to a penal Settlement. The Colonial
Advocate was not a Newspaper ; yet, on this Government
Under, the Editor was removed to a distant Settlement,
while it was notorious that one Newspaper, which sup-
ported Colonel Arthur's measures, was conducted by con-
victs. A Bill in Equity was then filed against your Peti-
titioner for publishing a sheet of Advertisements, under the
title of the Colonial Tinzes, and because your Petitioner, in
ignorance, failed to answer this bill satisfactorily, an attach-
ment was issued against your Petitioner, who was there-
upon imprisoned one month, until lie was compelled to give
up the Colonial Advocate ! ! I
Your Petitioner was then released from prison, the sole
object of the proceedings against him, evidently being to
destroy every semblance of a Free Press in the Colony.
That after the destruction of your Petitioner's property by
illegally subjecting the Newspaper Press to a license, and
refusing your Petitioner such license—the arbitrary and
oppressive enactment of Colonel Arthur was disallowed by
his Majesty ; notification of which disallowance was pub-
lished here on the 24th December, 1828. That by these
illegal and arbitrary acts of Colonel Arthur, your Pe-
titioner has suffered a pecuniary loss exceeding three
thousand pounds, besides what he has suffered by op-
pressive illegal fines and imprisonments, on the most
frivilous charges for libel. That, although your Peti-
tioner is advised that Colonel Arthur is liable to an ac-
tion at law, to your Petitioner, for the loss sustained by
him in consequence of the illegal suppression of his News-
paper—that the great losses which he has sustained, with
the large family for which he has to provide, puts it out of
his power to follow Colonel Arthur to England, where
alone he would obtain redress. Your Petitioner, therefore,
most respectfully submits his claims for compensation, with
the losses he has sustained, to the justice of the Representa-
tives of the British Nation. Trusting that your Honourable
House will look with great jealousy upon the arbitrary act
of a Governor of a distant Colony, who would deprive his
Majesty's subjects of that birthright of Britons, that pal-
ladium of British liberty—a Free Press, your Petitioner,
therefore, humbly prays that your Honourable House will
take into your serious consideration the illegal and oppres-
sive conduct of Colonel Arthur towards your Petitioner.
And that you will recommend to his Majesty to grant your
Petitioner such compensation, pecuniary, or in Colonial
lands, as will be equivalent to the injury and loss he has
sustained through the illegal Ordinance passed by Colonel
Arthur, by refusing him a license, as well as by his impri-
sonment, for printing a sheet of Advertisements.
And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
ANDREW BENT.
October 22, 1836.

Advices from Lisbon, of the 21st inst., announce
the failure of OLIVEIRA'S attempt to form a Mi-
nistry. The country is therefore virtually without a
Gorernment, for PA SSOS and his colleagues only hold
their Portefeuilles till the QUEEN nominates their
successors. The Miguelites had organized bands in
the south, and were otherwise active in disturbing the
general tranquillity.

Madrid Journals to the 22d instant have been re-
ceived. The news of the capture of Hernani, Fonta-
rabia, and the Carlist strongholds on the French fron-
tier, filled the Spanish capital with joy. The intelli-
gence produced an instant change in the angry tone of
the debates in the Cortes. The Deputies assembled
in groups, and with much apparent cordiality congra-
tulated the Ministers and their friends on the result.
It was reported and believed in Madrid on the 19th,
that during the secret sitting of the Cortes on the pre-
vious pay, M. CA L ATRA VA read a despatch from
the Spanish Ambassador at Paris, declaring the King
of the FRENCH and his Cabinet hostile to the Con-
stitutional Government of the Peninsula. This report,
which produced a great sensation in the capital, was
officially contradicted in the Gazette of the 21st. We
have elsewhere noticed the effect of this rumour upon
the temper of our Parisian Contemporaries.

On the 21st instant General ESPARTERO was at
Hernani, and General EVANS, with the British Le-
gion, at his old quarters in San Sebastian. On the
19th ESPARTERO addressed a proclamation to the Bis-
cayans, promising them the enjoyment of theirfueros
in the name of the QUEEN and Cortes, provided they
lay down their arms and return peaceably to their homes
and families.

The whole of the Paris journals of Friday and Sa-
turday have been received. The Moniteur of Satur-
day contains the following news from Spain, commu.
nicated by telegraph :

" BORDEAUX, MAY 25, SEVEN, P.M.

" The Carlist expedition does not advance ; it was still
at Egea and in the environs on the 22d. On the same day
Irribarren occupied Tauste and Castajon. Bucrens was at
Tudela. Espartero continues at H ernani
" Nothing new at Madrid on the 20th, nor at Saragossa
on the 221" . •

The town of Tauste occupied by General IRRI-
BA RREN, is only eight leagues from Saragossa. It
stands on the left bank of the Ebro, and its occupation
by the Christinos restricts the movements of the
Carlists in that direction. Should a junction of the
troops under I3trEttENs and IrtrunAnnEN be deemed
desirable it can be very easily effected. We cannot
account for the inactivity of the Carlists at a juncture
when the least delay must prove fatal to the Pre-
tender. With an impassable stream on one side, its right
bank defended by flying columns of enemy—an army
concentrating its strength, and.preparing to attack him
on the other—himself, too, occupying a tract of
country which cannot subsist his troops for many
days—a, delay in the movements of Don CARLOS
would seem to indicate a change in his councils, and
that he has at last resolved to hazard a ge►ieral engage-
ment. But this is a supposition which we cannot for
au instant seriously entertain. His safest course—and
he knows it—is to avoid battles with as much pertina-
city as it is the interest of the QUEEN'S Generals to
seek them. Whether, then, his present inactivity be
voluntary or involuntary, it must prove detrimental to
him, inasmuch as it will enable IR RIBA R R EN to surround
him with flying columns, harass his rear, cut off his
supplies, and force him to a battle, should the
QUEEN'S army be in a condition to cope with the
entire expeditionary force.
The Princess HELENA, of Mecklenburg Schwerin,
promises to become the idol of the French people.
Already the press teems with anecdotes illustrative
of the fascination of her manner, the sprightliness of
her wit, and the extent of her accomplishments. The
national gallantry of the French has been evinced in
the towns through which she passed in the presenta-
tion of addresses by the local functionaries in all the
dignity and gravity of official costume. At Metz her
Royal Highness was serenaded on the Moselle, and
the entire garrison was paraded under her balcony. The
citizens bestrewed the streets with flowers, and no
noise was heard save sounds of festive rejoicing, On
the With ina,, at noon, the PRINCESS and suite left
Metz for Verdun.

There has been a sort of compromise of parties and
opinions in the Chamber of Deputies on the Sugar
question, A 10W rMe of duty will be imposed nri
Beet-root Sugar, but in a form least okiectiona.ble to thv
manufacturer. The Chlwillers stand Asagrppd pye4-
1.g0n41 apd Ttics4974 141 or{ley to allqw the rresideiltl