The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-07 00:00:00

::„.„".„..),
6,

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1853.

Well, after all, Mr. DUFFY 15 not to receive
the crown of political martyrdom. He will not
be sent to the " Cellar " on the present occasion.
Like a good boy, he explained away the gravamen
of the charge which lie had deliberately put for-
ward on the preceding evening, so as to reduce it
to a very commonplace affair, and quite unworthy
of the excitement it created, or the interruption
of the public business for an entire sitting. Due
allowance should at all times be made for the
superabundant energies displayed, and exagge-
rated language adopted, by some few of the Irish
Members ; and it is only to be regretted that it
was deemed expedient to demand proof or retrac-
tion of what cau only be regarded as a "facon de
parlax," much better suited to the atmosphere of
the Defence Association than of the Commons
House of Parliament.

The charge, although couched in general terms,
was perfectly clear and unequivocal. It was to
the effect that " the grossest corruption ever prac-
tised in the days of WALPOLE and the PELHAMS
had been practised under his own eyes upon Irish
Members." If this meant anything, it could only
be that some person acting on behalf of the exist-
ing Government had obtained the votes of cer-
tain Members representing Irish constituencies by
the most corrupt and demoralising considerations.
It is notorious that in " those good old times"
the so-called Representatives of the people reim-
bursed themselves the enormous sums which they
squandered in bribing the electors by whom they
were returned, by incessant and insatiable de-
mands on the Minister of the day, the rule
being to " take all they could get, and to keep
grumbling." Places and pensions, and titles of
honour, were frequently bartered for a single
Tote ; and when these could not be obtained, the
more vulgar consideration of £ s. d. was freely
offered, and unblushingly accepted. The sterling
patriot, vigorous in denunciation, could be silenced
by a crisp note of the Governor and Company of
the Bank of England, bearing in the corner the
magic figures 5001. or 1,0001. Neither honour
nor conscience—love of country nor regard of cha-
racter—were proof against such influences. When
ready money was not forthcoming, other means
were adopted to satisfy the greedy claimants—
places were created, with exceedingly handsome
salaries for doing " nothing," or if a sufficiently
plausible excuse for the creation of such a sinecure,
the same end was accomplished in another, and
even more discreditible manner. A pension was
granted to the nominee of the party selling him-
self to the Minister, the new pensioner receiving
in hard cash the value thereof from the person to
whom it was given.
A very flagrant case of this species of corrup-
tion is still in existence, where a perpetual annuity
of 1,200/. was conferred
upon aMr.d CHARLES
assignees
BOONE, his executors, administrators, and
,
—the consideration, therefore, being 30 000/.
paid to the PATRIOT !!! PITLYENEY tllO incor-
ruptible (! !) PULTENEY, who, forgetting all his
former professions, had donned the Court livery,
selling himself for the aforesaid 30,0001. and
an earldom. The 1,200/. per annum is paid
to this hour. The taxes are enhanced to
satisfy a claim founded on the grossest political
turpitude, but for which we suppose the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer would declare "the public
faith was solemnly
pledged."
Under nal eircurlatalicess l'aPeats
-