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

PawE 5,1.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS

We not attempt to conceal our regret at the
termination of the contest for the moresen:ation of the
city of Westminster. We know thy, tom orthy contri-
vances, the crafty manceuvring, the wheedlings and
threatenings, that have been so disgracefully but sus-
cessfully employed; but what of all these ? The fact
remains uncontradicted that Westminster, which once
nobly stood forth in worse times than the present as
an example of heroic patriotism, has on this occasion
surrendered its high character, and conferred a tempo-
rary triumph on the Tory faction, led on by a manceu-
vring apostate. Lamentable as is the exhibition, it
cannot fail in the sequel to produce a salutary effect.
We did not require this additional instance of disho-
nesty and perfidy to enable us to form a judgment of
the true qualities of Toryism. But the exhibition will
not be lost upon the quiet and reflecting portion of the
community. At this moment we have every Tory in
England who has heard the result of ziesterday's pro- •
ceedings in Westminster inflamed with exultation at the
success of Sir. Francis Burdett, whilst he himself
declares that he remains unchanged. This former
champion of popular rights, who, in his public de-
clamation in favour of extreme Liberalism, in his public
hostility to Tories and reprobation ,of Toryism, far
outdid all competitors. for public favour, now declares
himself unchanged. The Tories, Sir Robert Peel at
their head, support him with the utmost\ seal, and- at
his success display the most frenzied joy. If we wanted
any other evidence of the thorough-paced dishonesty of
Tories we have it here. It is altogether one of the
most sickening exhibitions of dishonesty that ever dis-
graced any party in any day. If honesty be the best
policy, then this must be the worst policy. If truth
and manliness bo the brightest ornaments of a
party, essential to its dignity and strength, as we.
believe they are, then we may rest confident that
this triumph will be short-lived—its fuse glare
will only deceive those dazzled by it into making
further efforts, which will lay open to the world's gaze
their hypocrisy and knavery, and thus bring down upon
them hatred and scorn, defeat and confusion. To the
friends of reform we say be not discouraged. Let the
time which weak men pass in listless despair or un-
availing complaints and bickerings, and which wicked
men spend in revelling over their deceitful triumph—
let this time be employed by the good and liberal in
promoting harmony amongst all classes of Reformers,
and efficient plans of organisation adapted to secure
future success. Men who are governed by public prin-
ciple will alike despise the dishonesty of the Tories,
and the apostacy of their present champion, Sir Francis
Burdett. Of all persons in this great city, that wretched
man is the least to be envied. Those who have used him,
must in their hearts despise him. His own conscience,
when it resumes its office, must sting him with
a bitter remorse. He who was once the people's idol
is now their scorn, and will soon descend to the grave
borne down by the bitter reflection of having evinced
to the world one of the most wretched pictures of hu-
"man infirmity and political apostacy. Those who have
failed to do their duty, will, we hope, atone for their
error by doubling their exertions on. a future occasion.
Those who have done their duty, and now lament over
a temporary defeat, ought to remember that—princi-
ples and not men—should always be their motto ; in-
tegrity of purpose their constant aim ; and then, even
under defeat, they will rest content with having faith-
fully discharged their own day. The Reforings of
Westminster have now much to do and to undo, and we
will take our stand with those who hope that they
will soon blot out the disgrace of yesterday's defeat.—
Morning Chronicle.
Well, the battle is over, the victory is won—the
smiling and fruitful mother of many victories. The
citizens of Westminster have shown themselves not
unmindful of their obligations, political as well as
moral. They have, as they were bound to do in jus-
tice, and in gratitude, and in sound policy, restored Sir
Francis Burdett to that seat which he held for 30
years with unimpeached integrity, and without a mo-
ment's interruption, which, though he might still have
retained it with honour, he relinquished from a senti-
ment of overstrained chivalry, in compliance with
an insolent and despicable challenge from a con-
ceited faction, which dreamed not of its own insig-
nificance ; and to here he is again Member for
Westminster, in spite of his calumniators—returned
by the real constituency of that great city—by those
electors who, in exerting themselves for a long-tried
friend, the father of rational reform in all departments
of the monarchy, prove • that they red/ have a King
vested with prerogatives—an hereditary Peerage—a
House of Commons in part, at least, selected from the
natural Aristocracy of the realm—a stable system of
civil government, founded on fixed and recognized in-
stitutions—and an established Church on the princi-
ples of the blessed Reformation. We exhorted yes-
terday the electors of Westminster to give, as through
a little activity we knew that they might give, an
early turn to the poll, it being obvious to us that the
advantage once gained would not be easily wrested
from the hands of the Constitutional Candidate. The
honest constituency acted on this exhortation. At 10
o'clock, after only two hours' polling, the majority
for Sir Francis Burdett amounted to upwards of 430
votes; at 11 it had increased to 526 ; at 12 it
reached the acme of 636. Darin° the following,
hours, while the labouring class left off work, the dis-
proportion was reduced by. no more than 50 votes,
Sir Francis then heading his antagonist by 586.
From 3 o'clock to 4, at which hour the books were
closed, the poll slackened, Sir Francis bringing for-
ward but 15 voters, and Leader the same number.
The gross poll was—

For Burdett
Leader
Final majority
This is overwhelming. This was, under all the cir-
cumstances, what none but those familiar with the pro-
gressive improvement of public feeling in the metro-
polis (key as in that respect it may well be considered,
and touchstone of the whole island) could have hoped
for. The manly instinct of Sir Francis himself would
seem to have outstripped and superseded all ordinary
precautions of selfishness or common prudence. He
listened only to the inspirations of native boldness and
to the claims of his own conscious merits, without con-
sulting the judgment of a single friend, or calculating
the combilied force of his enemies. He drew the sword
at once ; he flung away the scabbard, and has achieved
a triumph, signal as regards himself, but in its
consequences to the Constitution and well-being of
this country, as an evidence of the national mind, and
a guarantee that all is right at bottom, altogether in-
estimable. Among the' new-fangled" privileges which
have sprung up amongst us within these few years, is that
of every man—we mean every liberal politician—meta-
morphosing himself into a noun of multitude whenever
the fit comes upon him, when each single grievance-
monger assumes to be that nondescript called " the
people of England"—a
.fortiori, any one dissatisfied
or notoriety-loving elector, much more a knOt of them,
however despicable, is by right " the constituent body"
of a borough or a metropolis, as the case may he, and
issues a " rcg'lar summons to the most distinguished
Member of the House of Commons to resign his seat
at the desire of his constituents." Sir Francis, on
this occasion, humoured the impertinence. He re-
ceived the letter of the draggle-tailed clique who met
' at Covent-garden a fortnight ago, and took them at
their word—we guess to their no small amazement.
He called them " pismires" to be sure, but he like-
wise treated them as such. They ,c,tung him, and
he crushed them. Tlw,i,o .tre two or three facts
Connected NNi4l\ this Westminster affray, and worthy
of nAtice for the light they throw eel the character
and position of OW Wll*.iladicals in office. So
often 13 4 Melbourne °._'-,ltsters are charged wall
Irtig nine' 0- English Radicals or of Irish Pa.
Why, the.
pists, what is their killY4Tying reply