The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-29 00:00:00

go on ; hitherto we have travelled very well together, but did
I not tell you that this question of the Poor-law was as serious
to the rich as to the poor? Puffendorff, Coke, Blackstone, and
Grotius all agree in this principle, that landlords have only the
use of the land, and hold it from the Crown ; it follows, here
we come to the knotty point, that the denial of relief to any
destitute subject, or even alien, when in the Crown's dominion,
is a breach of civil law which brings all men under the Crown's
protection, and all lands under the Crown's dominion, the land-
lords having the use after payment of all just taxes, rates, and im-
posts. I saw this question was a serious one, and I said to the
Duke of Wellington, " if you pass that law, Apsley House is
yours now, but it may be mine next."—( Cheers.) It is o❑
this account, as well as a feeling for the poor, that I have
made so much noise on this subject. I did not want to open
this question ; but seeing that we must go to the bottom of
society, I have this day determined to clear myself, and prove
to you that if I am a fool, if I am an incendiary, I am so
with the best and wisest of the human race..—( Cheers. ) I
grant that this view of the question may appear unpleasant
and unsatisfactory to those persons who have hitherto fancied
themselves sole proprietors of their own domain, and that
every morsel of bread they give to the poor is so much charity
doled out to the undeserving; but it is truth, and against
truth error may kick and place its batteries, but truth is as
eternal as God himself, for he is truth. I rejoice in this op-
portunity of opening the Poor-law question in this newfan-
gled manner. Society could not usefully be continued in exis-
tence on any other principle, and therefore it is for the security of
the property of the rich that England's laws have recognised this
principle. What says Locke—" As justice gives to the pro-
prietor of lands a title, so charity gives to the poor man a sub-
sistence." Paley says, " When the partition of property is
rigidly maintained against the claims of the indigent in distress
(as it is under the Poor-law), it is maintained in opposition to
the intentions of those who made it, and to him who is the
supreme proprietor of every thing, who has filled the earth
with plenty for the sustenance and comfort of all whom he
sends into it." And Grotius says, "In cases of extreme
necessity, the right of society to use all things in common is
revived." That brings me down to the last stage of this part
of the question. Grotius opens the question and tells you,
that if you will raise the question or doubt of the right of the
poor to live, you reverse the order of society, and you begin
to open back again the common fund of nature and make it
lawful for any man, or any men, to take any thing which they
desire. —( Cheers.) Now I come forward to declare, that if
this right be withheld, then the title to all property reverts to
the Crown for the good of all. It must be so—if the right to
live ceases, the needy may, without harm, take what they need.
I knew this as soon as I read the Poor-law Amendment
Bill. I saw in a moment that this must inevitably be the
consequence ; but since I find the very thing which I never
dared to utter in public before is sanctioned by the wisest and
highest authorities of the law and the Constitution, I will only
add, that it is sanctioned by the Poor Law Commissioners
themselves—l mean the Inquiry Commissioners—not the three
despots. Now, on this most dangerous point, for I acknow-
ledge it is dangerous, I have urged my master for months and
weeks, and have never written to him but I have mentioned
it, and the only way is to restore charity to the laws of Eng-
land, and all will be settled..—( Cheers.) And in it is this pas-
sage, "to punish even depredation when committed as the
only resource against want, is repugnant to the common senti-
ments of humanity." It is scarcely necessary to go further—
no evidence need be stronger than this. Puffendorff says if
any man, from no fault of his own, is in extreme want of
victuals and clothing, and can't obtain from those richer
than himself either by entreaty or by some payment or other,
or by his labours, that which he needs, he is by no means
guilty of theft or larceny, if he takes them either by force or
privately.—( Cheers.) I have proved that every man in Eng-
land has a right to his liberty and his sustenance ; that the
Crown is the guarantee that those rights will be secured ;
property is held on that condition for the good of all ; or it
must be taken per force by the needle. lam prepared to meet
any man in England on these points, and I will prove them,
and that the reality of them will very soon be witnessed in
England, if charity, embodied in the 43d of Elizabeth, be
not restored.

After some further remarks in a similar strain, the Honour-
able Gentleman concluded by moving a resolution, condem-
natory of the New Poor Law. Similar resolutions were
afterwards proposed and seconded by several Guardians of the
Union ; and, after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the
meeting separated.

In another part of our Paper is inserted a very im-
portant communication on some singularly ingenious and emi-
nently successful operations for cataract, performed by Mr.
Stevenson, the distinguished and scientific oculist. When we
consider that so much good--namely, the restoration of sight—
can be attained by that gentleman's agency, with such an im-
mense reduction, or the entire saving, if pain, and compare
the result with the frequent and severe sufferings and total
failures experienced under every other mode of treatment, we
cannot too highly appreciate the improvements Mr. Stevenson
has been the happy means of introducing into the ophthalmic
branch of surgery. To those who are interested in the sub-
ject, we can conscientiously recommend the third edition of
the author's small and familiar work on " Cataract," published
by Highley, Fleet-street, in which the advantages of the sys-
torn alluded to, as well as every other topic connected with
the disease, are most satisfactorily elucidated and explained.
The Court Journal of to-morrow will contain the
authentic and exclusive account of the termination of the most
important and interesting suit, between two persons of high
rank, that perhaps ever was instituted.

. .
On Wednesday last, as Mr. F. Browne, butcher, of
West Sandford, near Crediton, was in the act of skinning a
sheep, after being slaughtered and hung up by the heels, to
his great surprise a sovereign dropped out of its mouth ; it is
supposed to have been taken in while the animal was grazing.
The sovereign was a little discoloured by having lain in the
chest. Western Luminary,
THE ARMY.—AII officers on leave of absence frotn
regiments at present serving in Canada have had their leave
cancelled, and are ordered to proceed forthwith, via New
York, to join their respective corps.

JANE LO MAX.—By the Author of " Brambletye
House," 3 vols. (Colburn)._A novel from the pen of Horace
Smith can never fail of a hearty welcome from us. There is
a genial tone, a fine vein of humanity, to say nothing of the
charms of a polished wit, running through all his writings,
which place them amongst the most agreeable contributions to
the literature of the day. He is excelled by some in the graces
of style, as well as in the form and construction of his inven-
tions, but by none in the moral spirit that pervades them. No
one can read Horace Smith without feeling that his is a mind
of the gentlest and wisest order, amorous of good, in whatever
shape it presents itself, and chivalrous in its proclamation and
defcn co. —A this.

The King of Prussia, in his permission to construct
railroads in that country, stipulates that Government shall at
any time be at liberty to take possession of the whole concer n
paying a compensation to the existing shareholders ; and far-
ther, that at the conclusion of 90 years the railroads shall be-
come unconditionally the property of the State.
PARIS Gossip.—The recall of M. de Mulinen,
Wirtemberg Minister at Paris for the last fifteen years, has
been absurdly ascribed by the Carlist papers to the part (in-
significant enough, God knows I) which he has taken in the
conclusion of the marriage of the Princnss Mary with the
Duke Alexander. The truth is, that an over-activity, a con-
stant intellectual sur-excitation, an intolerable loquacity allied
to much cleverness and natural parts, had rendered M. de
Mulinen obnoxious both to the Court arid his colleagues, who.
could not refuse him, however, both esteem and affection. It
is related of him, that being some time ago at the Tuileries,
and having unawares taken sudden possession of a seat which
did not belong to him, upon the remark being made to him, he
hastily and civilly returned it to its rigl,t owner, but in jump-
ing up indiscreetly exclaimed, " I dislike, you know, usurpers
and usurpation too much not to atone for my involuntary mis-
take, and return you your legitimate property with alacrity !"
Some people add, that Louis Philippe, within whose hearing
these words were spoken, turned round and good naturedly
smiled.—Paris Paper.

The Canterbury Clergy have addressed a requisition
to the Archdeacon of the diocese to convene them, for the
purpose of petitioning for the repeal of the new Acts for Mar-
riages and Baptisms ; for the repeal of the Acts of Premu-
nire, whereby the Cathedral Chapters, together with the
Clergy, may elect their own Bishops, and fur the restoration
of the Houses of Convocation.
At the Insolvent Debtors' Court yesterday, John
Miller applied to be discharged. The insolvent had exhi-
bited the cuterpcon, which had been distrained upon for rent.
A replevin bond was signed, and the instrument sold by Mr.
George Robin. It realised 4201. The party who had signed
the bond was about 201. out of pocket. Mr. Cooke said he
had been instructed to ascertain to whom the euterpeon had
belonged. The insolvent had put down 6001. as the cost price,
he had better consider whether he had ever paid one shilling.
The insolvent made no reply. The Court advised the in:ol-
vent to be cautious as to what statements he swore to, as he
might be indicted for perjury. Mr. Cooke said the allegation
was worded in a strange manner. The account of Mr. Ro-
bins was read. The expences of the sale were about 501„ of
which 301. had been paid for advertisements. The insolvent
was discharged.
Power commences his engagement at the Hay-
market Theatre this evening, and will perform every night
duriug the remainder of the license, which extends to the 15th
of January, when he leaves for Dublin. His attraction, com-
bined with the 70th night of Sheridan Knowles's comedy of
The Love Chace, and Mr. Ranger in The Romantic Widow,
form an unrivalled evening's entertainment.
Liston, the comedian, whose health has for a length
of time been in a vi ry precarious state, is, we are informed,
completely recovered. Mrs. Liston and he are still residing at
the village of Pen, in Buckinghamshire. They purpose re-
turning to London in January for about a month or six weekl,
when they will again depart for another part of the country.
Liston has left the stage for ever, in the possession of an
ample fortune, the result of a successful theatrical career, and
great prudence into the bargain.
The Greenwich railroad on Christmas Day was so
thronged with passengers that on several occasions the car-
riages were unable to receive them. The works between
Deptford and Greenwich are rapidly progressing.
The non-arrival of the 'Gibraltar, Lisbon, &c.,
mails on Tuesday, as usual, was occasioned, it appears, by
the detention of the vessel (the City of Londonderry) at
Lisbon, by order of the British Admiral, one day beyond her
time, and then being also detained the followine, day beyond
the usual hour of sailing, which prevented her from reaching
Vigo in time to get out again the same day. But for these
circumstances the mails would have arrived with the accus-
tomed punctuality either on or previous to the day on which
they were due.