The Sun.
London, England, 1831-07-01 00:00:00

Lord Palmerston in sitates whether he will demand resti-
tution of the property of a British subject, who was send.
ing out some arms to the Poles, which were seized by the
Prussian Government, or whether it must be passed over
n dishonourable silence! 0 for a Chatham now !
Morning Herald.
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The attack made the other night, in the House of Com-
mons, on Mr. Hume, in the course of which he was ac-
cused of endeavouring to promote disturbances, and to tf-
tect that by violence and physical force which ought to be
the result of conviction and solemn deliberation only, is,
—take it all in all,—pretty well one of the most impudent
assertions that we have heard of for a long time. Mr.
Hume never has been an advocate either of violent pro-
ceedings or of seditious and infidel publications; but, on
the contrary, has always endeavoured to impress upon the
people the important truth, that national prosperity can
only co-exist with national intelligence,--that the path to
freedom, or, if the word be liked better, to the enjoyment
of constitutional right, lies through the portal of know-
ledge, and, in consequence, that the first thing to be acquired
by them, both as the basis and security of their political
right., is knowledge. His letter to the Political Union
of Dunfermline furnished an irrefragable proof of this
fact; and yet, strange to say, on this very letter, more
than anything else, was the stupid and impudent accusation
against him founded ! We will not encroach upon the
time and attention of our readers by exposing the absurdity
of the accusation ; but as the letter to which we refer
appeared some time ago in the Morning Advertiser, and
in it only, and we are, in consequence, partly involved in
the charge brought against the Honourable Member for
Middlesex, it will not, we presume, be considered irrele-
vant to re-produce those parts of it which bear upon the
charge in question. They are as follows; and, notwith-
standing the heavy accusation of fostering infidel and sedi-
tious publications, and of endeavouring to effect that by
violence which ought to be the result of conviction, we
again express our hope that the advice which it contains
may be generally adopted and practised. The Honourable
Member, in addition to his many other avocations, is, we
understand, now busily engaged in endeavouring to establish
parochial reading rooms.
" After the Reform Bill is passed, the friends of good govern_
ment and of freedom should, by their Political Unions, canvass
well the principles and talents of every candidate fsr the Re-
formed Parliament, and they should take care to ascertain his
opinions, and to demand pledges as to his conduct, on the leading
measure which the Legislature should thenceforward be occupied
with. For example—Reform.
" The public Press must be relieved from its fetters, which en-
courage ignorance. Reforms in the laws, in the Church, and in
the colonies, ought to be forthwith considered and made. Tax-
ation to its present extent, and on its present principles, cannot
without ruin be continued, and unsparing retrenchment and eco •
nomy should consequently be demanded in every department of
the State, as the means of affording relief.
" Reading-rooms should be established by every Union, and
suitable pamphlets and newspapers ought to he generally read by
members, to enable those who have the suffrage for electing
Members of Parliament, to give their votes to the fittest candi-
date, and to prepare those who have notnow the suffrage, to ex-
ercise it when it shall be extended to them, as I have little doubt
it will soon be beyond the limits of the present Bill ; but, above
all, the greatest pains should be taken by the members of every
Union to inculcate the necessity of preserving the public peace
on every occasion, and they should for that important purpose
enrol themselves and be ready to act as constables, and to assist
the constituted authorities on every occasion when there is any
riot or disturbance.
" The measures to be advocated by the Political Unions ought
tostand on the broad grounds of justice and constitutional rights,
and every attempt by violence and disorder to disturb the peace
should be met and resisted by the friends of freedom in the most
determined manner.
" The riots which have taken place at Dumbarton, Ayr, and
Wigan disgrace the country, and could only have taken place
from gross ignorance of the rioters, of the consequences of such
oroceedings, or through the means of some designing men, which

I cannot suppose.
" Let political associations, therefore, prepare the way for fu-
ture peaceable elections, by enlightening the public mind in re-
spect to their duties on such occasions, and let them be prepared
to offer their immediate and organized assistance to the Magis-
trates to maintain the public peace, and to prevent all such ex-
cesses as we have lately heard of.
" Wherever therefore, there may be a Political Union in fu-
ture, I trust that the Magistrates will find in the members of that
Union a civil force ready organized, and willing on the instant to
support due authority, and to maintain the public peace at all
hazards."—Morning Advertiser.