The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-20 00:00:00

it might say so, for that sacred body stops improvement at
every turn. Education is stopped, and freedom is with-
held, because the interest of the Church might be endan-
gered by the people being instructed and independent.
There is not a hamlet in the whole empire where the
Church is not a cause of strife ; and the otherwise peace-
ful vales of England, reflect the miseries of the tithe
system of Ireland. There lies before us a return of
tithe commutations already entered into, and the rent
charge for them, they being a mere fragment of the
whole, is nearly 152,0001. a year. Now when we con-
sider the toil and drudgery which must be annually
undergone to produce that sum, and the misery, the
drivings, the heart-burnings, the bickerings which are
annually experienced before that sum is paid, we still hold
to the former opinion of the Times, and say that there
is amongst us " too much Church." Now our Contem-
porary has got on this, as on all other subjects, a new light ;
and this morning he speaks of the " Venerable Church of
England,"and declares that the" SOVEREIGN holds her crown
on condition of rendering the Royal power in all cases subser-
vient to the maintenance and guardianship of that sacred
national institution." If that be the condition on which
Royal power exists amongst us and demands our allegiance,
her MAJESTY will soon find that over the hearts of
multitudes of her now faithful subjects she has no hold.
All but Churchmen will wish Royal power to be at an end.
The Times must seek to overturn the Monarchy, as we
have long thought that it continually endeavours to degrade
and destroy all our institutions, when it describes the Regal
power as the mere servant o f the English Church, composed of
the worst order of priests which are now established in any
Protestant country. To be the Queen of the Church and
the slave of the priesthood may be the choice of our
young SOVEREIGN, but she will then be only the head of
a sect—the chief of a bigotted faction, and not the first
magistrate of all this free and mighty nation.

EXPENCE OF THE EARL OF DURHAM'S

MISSION.

We copied an article yesterday from the Times, attack-
ing, with great vehemence, the Earl of DURHAM'S mission
to Canada. Our Contemporary was particularly smart on
the probable expense, and was most earnestly desirous to
have the expense of some Tory Commissions, and the ex-
pense of Lord DURHAM'S former mission placed in juxta-
position, that it. might institute a comparison between
them. From its own columns of March 18, 1833, the
desired information has been extracted this morning by
the Chronicle, which neglects no opportunity to pounce on
the Times. We borrow so much of the extracts from the
Times of 1833, as may serve to rebut the statements is the
Times of yesterday :

TIMES, MARCII 18, 1833. —Lord Durham's resignation of
the expensive emoluments of office, when his health no longer
permitted him to discharge official duties, and his advancement
a step in the cheap honours of the Peerage, from which the
public can suffer no loss, and he can derive no advantage or
distinction, have, as might have been expected, been made the
occasion of a most rancorous attack on his character and ser-
vices by the Tory press. The violence and injustice of this
assault in a paper of Saturday (yesterday) may be reckoned a
measure of the energy with which his Lordship has always
supported his liberal principles, and of the efficiency with
which he resisted the enemies of popular rights. The Tories
and Anti-Reformers can never forgive his persevering con-
sistency in the cause of Reform, or the able speech in which
he maintained the claim of the metropolitan districts to have
Parliamentary representatives.
There is nothing more easy than to ascribe sordid motives to
the most disinterested actions of public men, without the slight-
est foundation for such charges. No species of calumny pre-
sents so fair a chance as this of gaining reputation for its
author at so small a risk of character in case of failure.
This general remark has been suggested not only by
the article in the paper we allude to, but by the absurd
reports which had got abroad, and which had reached
our ears, respecting the expenses of Lord Durham's re-
cent mission. While the Noble Lord was in office, we ab-
stained from any allusion to the subject ; but, as he has
now resigned, it may be proper to mention, that all these
attacks on the extravagant expenses of his embassy are
utterly devoid of truth. His Lordship undertook a very deli-
cate and very difficult task, in circumstances where an extra
expenditure might have been warranted, but the following ac-
count will show that he took no advantage of his position to
incur unnecessary charges either to gratify personal vanity or
to acquire a silly reputation for splendid extravagance.
The expense of Sir Stratford Canning's mission to Russia in
1824 was 5,4001. The expense of the permanent embassy
went on at the same time. Sir S. Canning was lodged and
entertained by the Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr. Ward.
The expense of the Duke of Wellington's mission to Russia
in 1826 was 4,5361. 16s. 3d. The expense of the permanent
embassy under Lord Strangford went on at the same time.
The Duke of Wellington was lodged and entertained at the
Emperor's expense as a Russian Field-Marshal.
The Duke of Devonshire received for his special mission to
Russia, in 1826, 10,0001.
The expense of Lord Durham's mission to Russia is
5,4401. 13s. 6d. Lord Durham had not only the duties and
expenditure of the special mission, but of the permanent em-
bassy imposed on him, there being no resident ambassador ;
and Lord Durham, who was instructed to act in that capacity
also, had to entertain the Ministers, Corps Diplornatigue, and
the English residents at St. Petersburg. Lord Durham was
obliged also, in furtherance of the objects of his mission, to
return home by Berlin, Frankfort, and Brussels.

The deputation now in London from the Attorneys and
Solicitors of Ireland, have had conferences with Lord
PLUNKETT ; the LORD CHANCELLOR Of IRELAND ; with
Lord MORPETH ; with the ATTORNEY-GRNERAL for IRE.
LAND ; and with Sir EDWARD SUDDEN ; Mr. O'CONNELL,
Mr. SHAW, Mr. Serjeant BALL, Mr. LITTON, Mr.
SHEIL, Mr. LYNCH, and the other leading Mem-
bers of the House of Commons, as to the measure
to be brought into Parliament this evening for the bet-
ter regulation of the profession of Attorney and Solicitor
in Ireland. We understand the profession in Irelrnd
simply seek to be incorporated under the controul of the
Judges, and not to form part of the presant Inn of Court
in Ireland, thereby assimilating their body to the profes-
s on in tlis country and'in Scotland.

ly the arrival of the Tagus steamer at Falmouth on
Sunday, we have received important intelligence from
Lisbon to the evening of the 14th inst. :inclusive. That
capital was then the theatre of another political convulsion,
which for a time threatened the stability of the Throne
itself ; and we are far from certain that all danger to the
permanence of Royal authority is yet over. According to
the most probable accounts received, rumours having been
circulated that the QUEEN, dissatisfied witch the Constitu-
tion, intended to dismiss her Ministers, a .nd to select for
her advisers persons known to be favourable to the
Charter of 1826, Senhor SOARES CALE,EIRA, Civil Go-
vernor of Lisbon, and Superintendent of Police ;Senhor
FRANCA, Commander of the Arsenal Battalion; and Senhor
MANTAS, Commander of thellsth Battalion of National
Guards, at a monthly review of the National Guards on
Sunday the 4th instant, called upon tb e men to sign
a petition to the QuEEN, which they were to pre-
sent, insisting that her MAJESTY in changing her
Cabinet should only select persons noted for their
firm adherence to the Constitution of .s.;eptember. Se-
veral of the corps declined to interfere witth the exercise
of the Royal prerogative ; but the 14th, 15th, 17th, and
18th battalions, amounting to upwards of 3,000 men, well
armed, declared in favour of the preposittion of the Civil
Governor and his accomplices, and inst antly seized the
arsenal, the gates of which they guarded with four
howitzers. As soon as these events beta me known to the
Government, the 2d, 10th, 16th, and 17t11 corps of regular
infantry, two squadrons of lancers, and a strong detach-
ment of the artillery of the line—in all a bout 8,000 men,
moved in the direction of the arsenal, to c ompel the insur-
gents to lay down their arms. Their ap pearauce excited
no alarm ; and so little did many of the m relish the ser-
vice, that, according to two eye-witnesses of the scan-
dalous conduct they narrate, a random n shot fired by
some individual filled the gallant def enders of their
QUEEN with such direful trepidation„ that hundreds
of them threw down their arms, and fled in every direc-
tion, to the great amusement of the spectators. Her
MAJESTY'S Generals, finding the insurget its in no mood to
run at the sight of so imposing a force, ; ind having them-
selves no stomach for fighting, entered into negociations
with Senhors FRANCA and SOARES CALDEIRA for the
peaceable evacuation of the arsenal. In these negotiations
the greater part of a day was spent, and after the insur-
gents had kept possession of the arsenal for four days, the
authorities on both sides signed, on the 9th, the following
articles :

" Ist. That all the citizens of the Natianal Guards and of
the Arsenal Battalion shall retire from the Arsenal before
three o'clock this afternoon.

2d. That the guard at the gate shall be composed, until
Further orders, of the National Guards, to be appointed by
:he new Civil Governor.

" 3d. That at the same moment the troops in the Arsenal
shall begin to file, the troops of the line shall also return to
their quarters.
" 4th. That no hostile measures of any nature whatsoever
shall hereafter be adopted against any individual who may have
taken part in the events of the last few days."

On leaving the arsenal the insurgents were greeted by

the populace with loud cheers, and retired to their home
bearing the arms with which they had defied their SOVZ-.
REIGN, in triumph along with them. Her MAJESTY, how-
ever, was not satisfied with the concessions made to the
insurgents by Senor SA DA BANDEIRA, and without con-
sulting her Ministers, signed the dismissal of all the
Chiefs who had taken part with them, and likewise ordered
that the disaffected battalions should forthwith be deprived of
their arms. SA DA BANDEIRA remonstrated against
such a proceeding as involving a violation of the arsenal
articles ; but failing to make any impression upon the Royal
will, himself and his colleagues tendered their resignations,
which were accepted—the QUEEN merely insisting that he
should retain ad interim, the Portefeuiles of the Foreign,
War, and Home departments, and Senor JOSE DX OLI.•
VEIRA, those of Justice, Finance, and the Interior, till

another Government could be formed, which, she added,
would be effected with the least possible delay.

The instant the QUEEN'S determination to disarm the
National Guards was made known, the disaffected as-
sembled in crowds,: and summoned their leaders to
put themselves again at their head. They took
possession of the Convent of Jesus in the City, and
prepared to defend themselves to the last. In the
mean time the QuENN ordered circulars to be addressed
to the Cortes to meet her at the Palace on the morning
of the 13th, when after a tedious discussion it was resolved
to suspend the habeas corpus, and to disarm without further
delay the refractory corps. To give effect to this vote the
troops of the line were marched to attack the Convent,
which they carried with a loss to the insurgents of several
killed and forty prisoners. The insurgents retreated first
to Graca-hill, and next to the Rocio-square, where a rather
sharp engagement took place between them and the troops
of the line. They were finally dispersed after sustaining
a loss of about 40 killed and 90 wounded, exclusive of
prisoners. By another account the loss of the in-
surgents in killed and wounded, is estimated at 400.
Thus is reported to have terminated the latest revolu-
tionary movement in Portugal. The QUEEN is said to
have acted throughout this affair with much firmness, dig-
nity, and presence of mind ; but nevertheless, we cannot
divest ourselves of the impression that these enzeutes are
as much the consequences of Court intrigues, as incontro-
vertible proofs of the refractory spirit of the people.
Something must be done to put a stop to such manifesta-
tions of the weakness and unpopularity of the Portuguese
Government, or the country will fall a prey to a tumultuous
anarchy, a thousand times more pregnant with the seeds of
social disorganization and moral depravity than the most
r ruthless despotism. Portugal and Spain both want re-
' pose. Under the Constitutions now granted to them they
have more liberty than they have intelligence to regulate
for their own advantage ; and, therefore, while it would be
preposterous to extend their political privileges, none but
an enemy to the reigning Sovereigns would recommend an
infringement of privileges, which are often the more valu-
able the less they are understood. The Portuguese have
not acquired that degree of intelligence essential to a
people upon whom it would be safe in a Govern-
ment to make political experiments. The Constitution
is their political creed, and in its efficacy they believe
as firmly and not less blindly than they do in the
dispensing power of the POPE : consequently they see in
every violatio❑ of it a heresy subversive of all that gives
them a political being. All intrigues, therefore, against
the Constitution are as dangerous as they are impolitic,
and betray at once the rashness and the ignorance of
those who encourage them. At the same time, the Go-
vernment should perform its functions with a firm hand, so
as to convince the people that the Constitution in
conferring rights, imposes arduous duties, which Ministers
have both the will and the powor rigorously to •exact.
We are glad to learn that neither the English fleet in
the Tagus, nor any of the English residents in Lisbon,
took any part in the late political convulsion.
The following is a copy of the Proclamation addressed
by the QUEEN to the Portuguese nation, after the sitting
of the Cortes of the 13th inst.:—
" PROCLAMATION.

" Portuguese I—When, after so many political convulsions,
the constitution of the monarchy, an iris of peace, and a pledge
of alliance and reconciliation amongst all Portuguese, was
about to be sworn to ; when after painful pecuniary difficulties
the Cortes had found means to remedy our greatest evils ;
when, in short, all things concurred to afford a hope that Por-
tugal would soon return to the enjoyment of days of happiness
and prosperity—a small number of deluded men, with arms in
their hands, menace social order, and denying me the exercise
of the prerogatives, with which, by the Constitution, I am in-
vested, seek to light the torch of discord once more in their
country.

" Treated by my orders with a moderation of which they
have shown themselves unworthy, they continue their attempts
against the majesty of my throne by openly resisting the
authority which the fundamental law gives me, of freely ap-
pointing and dismissing public servants ;—attempts which
become the more criminal for being made in the face of the
constituent Cortes, from whom I have, under all circum-
stances, received the most convincing proofs of respect and

" Portuguese, it is necessary to terminate, without delay, a
state of things which threatens the total subversion of social
order: it is necessary that we should all unite in order that
the ferocious anarchy which menaces our country should be
for ever suffocated.

" Certain of your love for order, and assured that you know
your own interests, I rely on your support to defend the con-
stitution of the monarchy, the dignity of the throne, and the
national representation.
(Signed) " THE QUEEN
" Palace of Necessidades, March 13, 1838."
Th

,e whole of the Paris Journals of Sunday have been
received. With the exception of the following extracts,
they contain no news of any interest :
" THE APPROACHING CAMPAIGN IN CIRCASSIA.—(From
Le Commerce).—We have the following letter, dated War-
saw, March Ist:—' It appears that the Emperor Ni-
cholas intends that the war in Circassia shall be car-
ried on upon a much larger scale, and that he has even
some intensions against Persia, for it is certain that
a proposal has been made to Field-Marshal Paskewitsch to
take the command of the army of the Caucasus, and that
this army is to be raised to the number of 100,000 men, effec-
tive, besides the garrisons of the town and fortresses, and the
troops which occupy the military lines of the Caucasus. A
General so distinguished as Prince Paskewitsch Erivanski, the
only Field-Marshal in the Russian service, has certainly not
been called upon to command an army intended merely to
make war on isolated mountaineers, not to mention that an
army of 100,000 men would be more embarrassing than useful
in such a war; it therefore seems certain that the Czar, while
on the one hand he is amusing Europe with his plan of a visit
to Germany, by his future conferences with his two absolutist
colleagues, and by his threats of intervening in Spain,
is preparing, on the other hand, means of extending his
conquests in Asia, and of opening a way to British India.
" Field Marshal Paskewitsch is so far from making a mys-
tery of the new command which has been proposed to him, that
he has invited the Polish General, Prondzynski, an officer of
great talents, to accompany him to Asia, and has offered him
the post of Chief of the General Staff, and Quarter-Master-
General of the army of the Caucasus. General Prondzynski
who lives in retirement at Sandomir, has not dared directly to
reject these proposals, but he has spoken of his bad state of
health. However, if the Field Marshal goes to his ne- des-
tination, we may be sure that General Prondzynski will go
likewise ; for in Russia, a proposal made:by a superior, is an
order, and he who dares to reject it, may be assured, that he
will be sent to hunt the Sable in Siberia."—Le Commerce.
The Sentinelle des Pyrenees says, " A column of 3,000
men, and 400 horses, from the Ribeira, arrived at Pampe-
luna on the Bth inst., having escorted from Tafalla a convoy
of provisions for that capital ; also the mail from Saragossa.
A typhus fever has broken out in the hospital of Irache,
half a league from Estella, and is being fatal among the sick
and wounded. It was feared that the infection would reach
Estella, on which account Don Carlos and his Court were to
leave that place on the Bth, and go to Villa Franca and Gui
Moniteur.
auscoa.--

Dutch and German papers have been received this
morning. The States-General of Holland have adopted
the report presented to them for paying the interest upon
the debt ; but great difficulty has arisen on the question of
the proportion of the debt to be borne by Belgium. The
Members of the Second Chamber are most anxious that
some understanding might take place with the Government
of LEOPOLD, in order to adjust this very important ques-
tion. As this must be preceded by an official acknow-
ledgment of the independence of Belgium, we see no
prospect of a settlement of this point during the life-timo of
King WILLIAM,

FREEMASONS' LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY.
We have seen a privately-circulated prospectus of a new As-
surance Company under the above title. The idea is a good
one. All denominational Assurance Companies have suc-
ceeded. The Lawyers have one, the Doctors have one, the
Parsons have one, the Quakers have one, the Dissenters have
one—why should not the Freemasons have one likewise? By
the way, in one respect this Freemasons' Institution seems to
have copied the plan of Mr. Northhouse the founder of the
Dissenters' Assurance Company, in awarding one-tenth of
the profits to benevolent purposes. The Dissenters'
Insurance Company took deep root, and is widely
flourishing from this union of business and benevolence. The
Freemasons, we doubt not, will have the same good fortune.
They &form a species of benefit societies already, and hence
are more legitimately the objects of a life assurance principle
than any of the classes of the community we have named ; and
encouraged, as we understand this benevolent and prudent In-
stitution will be, by the illustrious Prince who presides over
the English brethren, and whose love of science and benevo-
lence make him the ornament of Masonry and his country,
we are satisfied it will be eminently successful. 4