The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-15 00:00:00

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WITH WHICH
" THE TRUE SUN" IS NOW
INCORPORATED.

LONDON:
TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1833

The Tory band of conspirators, who are now preparing
to blow up the peace, the prosperity, and the progress cf
society, were so boldly met last night by Lord JouN Rus-
SELL, that, judging from the report of the speech of Sir
THOMAS ACLAND, the little talent with which Goo has
endowed the Professing Devonshire Baronet was frightened
out of his body. A poorer leader for such a forlorn hope
as that of the Tories, never attempted to scale a well-
manned fortress. Even if he had not been assailed and
discomfited before he left his own tents, the poor thing, en-
dowed as he is with a well earned character for loving
peace and professing piety, would never have been able
to mount the breach, though shoved on by that other
and heavier specimen of the same qualities who se-
conded him, and that impetuous champion of all that

is proud, overbearing, and Buonapartist, who, on pretence
of being summoned by Mr. FRENCH, rushed towards the
close of the debate, to the aid of Sir THOMAS. Lord
STANLEY only made it perfectly evident, by the apologies
which he pronounced at the commencement of his speech
for the course which the Tories have adopted, that the
whole proceeding is a concerted plan of the conspirators to
seize the Government ; and they selected, as their cat's-
paw, on account of his plausible character, the instrument

of the Bishop of EXETER. The nefarious scheme having
been from the beginning completely comprehended by
the Ministers, Lord JOHN RUSSELL did not
wait for the attack, but commenced it by
a manly and bold speech, such as the Noble Lord
always makes, when threatened by the Tories, and which
always dissipates the doubts sometimes entertained by the
best friends of the Government, of its attachment to libe-
ral principles, and restore it completely to their undimi-
nished confidence. The boldness with which he took the
Tory bull by the horns, evidently disconcerted the beast ;
and pinned, as he is now, to the earth, we trust he will be
thrown down sprawling in the end, a memorable example
that calm courage is more than a match for furious, bel-
lowing ambition.

It was not expected by the Tories that Lord JOHN would
not only explain his plan, but make an effectual attack
on their whole system, under which the Port, Times, and

herald, writhe and wriggle this morning most piteously.
They do not like that the public at large should learn on
the authority of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, that the clergy are at
the bottom of this attempt to disturb the public tranquil-
lity ; and they do not like to see statesmen make any reference
to the principles of the union of Church and State, and to

the authorities on which that union is supported, because
they are well aware that both authorities and principles
condemn the Church of Ireland. They do not like to have
it sounded through the land that Churches are political
contrivances for the good of the people, because they fed
convinced that the taxing Church of England, and the blood-
red Church of Ireland, seem only mischievous or horrible
by such a test. They do not like to have it repeated that
the Church of Ireland is established by the State for the

good of the people ; that it is selected from amongst other
sects, partly on account of the purity of its doctrine, and
partly on account of its efficiency as an instrument of instruc-
tion ; and they do not like to be reminded, that after two
hundred years uninterrupted possession by the Church of
enormous wealth, the great bulk of the people still remain im-
mersed in Popery, and justly hate Protestantism on account
of the bloody exactions with which the Clergy, who have large
revenues and no congregations, have connected it. They
do not like to have it published on authority that Tory
professions are snares, and that the principles of the Tories
are of such a hateful nature, that it is impossible for
them to get possession of the Government without being
intolerant, oppressive, and insulting ; and without either
establishing an iron-handed tyranny in Ireland, or driving
the Irish, who are now contented and have confidence in the
Government, into open rebellion. The extreme soreness
of the Tory Journals this morning, is a convincing proof
that Lord JOHN RUSSELL made a most effective, as well
as a bold speech.
He was ably supported by Lord LEvESON and Lord
MORPETII ; and both Sir CHARLES LEMON and Mr.
SLANEY redeemed some recent errors by speaking against
Sir THOMAS ACLAND'S proposition to rescind the
appropriation resolutions of 1835. That Colonel CONOLLY
and Mr. LEFROY should support, and Sir WILLIAM SO-
suRvILLE, and Mr. FRENCH should oppose it, is natural,
and that we shall have a great deal more speaking on the
subject, as the debate was adjourned, is to be expected.
Except Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who made some pertinent
remarks on the uselessness of rescinding the resolutions of
a past Parliament, which are for the. present Parliament
mere waste paper, no person made any observations on the
technical part of the motion. We are not much sur-
prised at this, because one of the arguments with
which Sir ROBERT PEEL has frequently opposed all
general abstract propositions—in the shape of resolu-

tions—is that they bind only the House of Commons
which passes them, and are of no obligation for its succes-
sors. To have entered on the technical part of the ques-
tion would only have demonstrated the needless absurdity
of Sir THOMAS ACLAND, who nourished high thoughts
out of Parliament in 1835, now wasting the time of the
House, like Sir EDWARD SUGDEN in relation to the Wills
Act, by proposing to rescind that which was completed
without the Parliament waiting to ask his advice. The
motion, in fact,except as another occasion for familiarizing the
public with the important question of appropriating Church
property to useful purposes, for which we are grateful to
the Tories, and, except as a means of party warfare, is
wholly useless, and a mere waste of the public time.
There was one principle broadly and repeatedly laid
down by Lord JossN RUSSELL that deserves our especial
h
approbation. Legislators, he said, must bend to the
force of circumstances. There is a principle at work in
society which overrules the law-maker, and compels
him to adapt his measures to its dictates, Now,
if this principle Lip f such fore a 3 to compel
an alteration of tactics in a few years, and render
that valueless in 1838 which in 1835 would have been an
acceptable and healing measure, what must be its opera-
tion through centuries $ and how wretchedly unfit may be
the institutions of a past age—proper nod suitable in those
days---to the present circumstances of society ? Take, for
example, this very question of religious instruction which
the Tories would now have propagated—Omni, the
Press is in existence—by the same methods, and
in the same or similar temples as were adopted
before fs4nting was known, and before it was pos-
sible to communicate with multitudes of men other-
wise than by the voice. W only 4111.14 e now to the
principle but we are confident, if Church Establishments,
and te4chipg religion by sermonc, sPok.Go once a week, be
looked at In rOarretweiv the present circumstances of
• • • ',at titularly the existence of the .P:fss, instead of
society, _
merely looking q_t hem because they are established, they
will be found utterly and hooleply defenceless. On
rkccouttt, we are grateful to tj Toiel and the Clergy for