The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-05 00:00:00

Election petitions were present,d from Bury St: Edmund's
and Pomfret.

Mr. E. J. STANLEY obtained leave to bring in a Bid to
enable the Commissioneis of her Nlajsty's Woods and Forests
to purchase ground and tenements requir,d to coniplcte the
site for the new Houses of Parliament.
On the motion of Mr. HUME, a r; turn was ordered of the
i.an.cs and dates of the appointments of the several architects
now employed by the Curnmissioneri f:f. Woods and Fort s:s,
or by any other department of the Government, to prepare
!dans, and to superintend the erection or repairs of public
buildings ; stating the amount of salary, if any, which each
receive: for that duty, and the rate per cent. allowed on the
expenditure as commission for said duties; stwing also the
regulations under which the public weeks are conducted b- the
Government architects in England. Also, a return of the
amounts paid to each Government architect for salary, for
plans, and for superintending the works, and what works,
stating the rate per cent. allowed, and the amount of the gross
expen!!iture for each work, in each year since 1320, in Erg-
land Similar returns for Scotland and for Iret.and. _

The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and
the House adjeurned at Twelve o'Clock.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Unless the Ministerial policy for the Sessionewhsn its pro-
gramme be laid before the country, prove far more liberal
than premonieiry indications have hitherto given us reason
to expect, we fear that the exulting anticipation of the Tories
the sealing of the doom of the Ministry"—is not fsr, in the
opin'on of many of its friends, from its accomplishment. In
corroboration of this apprehension, to which it pains us to give
expression, we refer to the sentiments put forward last night
at the meeting convened at the Crown and Anchor for the
purpose of taking into consideration the declaration, we must
say the moat injudicious declaration of Lord John Russell
against the three great measures upon which, above all others,
the mind of the country is immovably fixed—an extension of
Suffrage, the Ballot, and short Perlian •nts. The opinions
promulgated at this meeting were aided by the eloquence of the
nose powerful orators which the country could furnish in or out
of the House of Commons; but great as was the effect produced
by the language and manner in which these opinions received utte-
rance, it is nothing when compared with the sensation which their
intrinsic truth must produce throughout the country—it is the
sympathetic response which these truths will elicit from the
people that will clothe them with the irresistible fiat of a na-
tion's will, It would be superfluous to expatiate on the sen-
timents expressed at the meeting, and therefore we merely re,
fer to the proceedings, an account of which will be foiled in
enother part of our paper, and leave our readers t draw their
ovine uebisssed conclusions. If ever at anv'time more than another
it were necessary to glee free utterance to political opinion,
to state unacceptable, but wholeisome teethe, In a plain, uu,
varnished guise—it is at the present moment. The decla-
ration of Lord J. Russell has shaken the confidence of the peo-
ple in the quarter where they!previously bestowed it with most im-
plicit reliance. The people in the revulsion of feeling consequent
upon this denial of justice to them, are disposed to regard even
the most popular of their leaders with suspicion. The union of
the different grades of Reformers is breaking up—the leading
Liberals regard each other, and the people regard all, with
suspicion ; while the Tories chukle over en injudicious policy
and discipline, arid consolidate their forces by the expecta-
tion of attaining the opportunity of official patronage. Thus,
since the passing of the Reform Act the Tories have been
gaining an accession of strength, while the Reformers have
been co-equally losing their superiority. Since the accession
of the present Cabinet the legitimate influence of the Libe-
rals has undergone a progressive decline. Their majority in
the House of Commons has suffered daily diminution, land is
now at a minimum. Is it not then high time to inquire into
the causes which have led to such reverses to the principle
of Reform ? To Ministers especially ought this inquiry con-
vey an instructive lesson, the ratio of their power having
always been in direct proportion with the extent of
their acquiescence with the popular claims. When the
Grey Government carried the Reform Act it was irresistible ;
but when it evinced a tendency to desert the cause of the peo-
ple, it fell with the momentum of doubting, timid, and despi-
cable policy. Experience teaches in vain, if a lesson like this
be disregarded. With the people, the Ministry arc compara-
tively omnipotent ; against them they are nothing. The pre-
sent Ministry have still the opportunity of being as powerful
es was that of Lord Grey on the passing of the Reform Act ;
but the only mode of becoming so is by ab unequivocal and
decided demonstration in behalf of those principles upon
which the people have hitherto supported them. Intense,
therefore, is the interest with which we look to the formal ex-
position of their policy during this and the next two days.
That they will furnish a full and ample opportunity to their
liberal friends to fall back from the position which they
have assumed, is the least that can be expected
from them. They have committed a great error through
one of their main organs, but the error is not irretrievable.
There is still a host of strength for them if they will only con-
sult the wishes of the people. The squirearchy must not be
placed in opposition to the commercial classes of the country
—the Ballot must be made .an open question—the Irish
Municipal Bill must be upheld in all its integrity—the
Irish Church Bill must be, as it has been, a staple com-
modity—the deficiency of accommodation for the adhe-
rents of the Established Church in Seotland must have
a fair allowance of money for repairing it—and all the
measures announced by Lord John Russell for improv-
ing the fair and free representation of the country—be
carried, if they possibly can be carried. With these mea-
sures, end a fair sifting of the Pension List—a thing re-
specting which there is more noise than benefit—the Ministry
will secure to itself a more ample support than any Covert:-
ment ehich i; as hitherto exis:ed tender circumstances cf
sina-
ler difficulty. On the ether hand, should it attempt to shirk
these measures in any shape, their case is one which they will
only have to deplore— once. The Tories will have no mercy
upon them, and what have they expect from the Radicals, after
the denunciation of their favourite measures, but the most
heartless and unwilling support?—Morning Atlver. tiser.