The Sun.
London, England, 1831-07-21 00:00:00

ICINGLEOPOLD' S PROGRESS in BELGIUM.

(From the Times Express.)

GHENT, JULY 19, EIGHT O'CLOCK A. M.
-His Majesty arrived here last night amid the unceasing
exultation of his subjects. His progress has hitherto been
a continued triumphal procession. Every r 4 shred" of
authority-, from the Governor of the province and the
13thai
i);:nip of the diocess down to the serjeant of a village nas
guard, in his real blouse (smock-frock), or the sill lee
Priest in his best canonicals, appears anxious to ratify, by
their zealous protestations of loyalty and affection, the
choire of their Congress. At Ostend, at Bruges, at Ecclo,
oriel here, he found the streets lined with National Guards
and troops of the line, in admirable order, and presenting
as fine a body of men as Europe could furnish, vying with
eaeli other in demonstrations of attachment. The streets
through which he passed formed alleys of trees connected
With garlands of flowers. Triumphal arches, made of
trees covered with foliage and flowers, or representing more
durable monuments, were erected at short intervals.
The manners of the King have every where given the
greatest satisfaction. Though naturally grave and sedate,
he has been extremely affable. Knowing that the Belgians,
I."`e the French, desire a republic under the royal mantle,
has shown the feeling of a President the day after his
election. The civil and military officers have all been re-
ceived with marks of attention, and seem not to have suf-
fered any humiliation from the ceremonies of a Court.
Aware that his Catholic subjects would wish that, like
IlenrY IV., he would accept their religion as well as their
sovereignty, and that the priests would be jealous of any
attention from a Protestant, he has shown a marked at-
tention to the members of the ecclesiastical establishment.
°a the Bishop of Ghent, who met him at Ostend, he
bestowed such marks of condescension as must have satis-
6ed the Church that it is in no danger from the difference ~
his faith.
He appears to have begun auspicously his duties as a
Sovereign by a keen attention to the tempers of his sub-
jects, and an examination of their peculiar situation. At
Ostend he had no sooner alighted from his travelling car-
land held 'the necessary levee to receive the authori-
es,s, than he proceeded to view the docks, and to inquire
about the shipping. Yesterday, at Bruges, he was equally
Inquisitive about the kind of industry in which the people
were
emPloyed, and the manufactures which they ex-
-,.`"`". To gratify the priests and the patriotic admirers
41 the an in their churches, he visited the Ca-
thh.edral, where he was received by the • clergy, and allied
unself with the ancient dynasty of his adopted country
eltver the splendid and Magnificent tomb of the Princes of
taurgundYs All his new subjects who have been admitted
hi Converse with hint on business, or who lisye spoken to
0,41 on the state of the country, conceive him to be a man
Oral sense, if nat of splendid abilities; of considerable
O.'"inplishments, if not of distinguished acquisitions; and
C-'eetlY aware of his position, whatever degree of capacity
Thu display in maintaining it.
}low position (of which tie has as yet seen only the
sa',"aY appearance) will he found far from being
the King of Holland and the history of his
:e:ecessors can tell him. He passed yesterday about a
nll4 beyond Ecclo, within a mile of the Dutch territory,
Or alight have seen from the top of his carriage the
at')ge flag opposed to the Belgic tri-colour, white the
of eh troops on the line might have heard the shouting
•the Flemish people for their new Sovereign. Ile
and
have passed in review nearly 40,000 regular troops
I,,Ut ruoveable civic guards, assembled oa his route to
ect his frontier from Dutch aggression. This must
the reminded him that he has accepted of a kingdom
the
limits of which are not yet determined ; and that
ser
efirst act of his reign will be an oath to pre-
LI,: territory which he has not yet acquired. The
if eenlent, or war-party, who opposed his accession
connected with even the conditional abandonment
Purchase of an inch of ground, will expect him to
sling to his inauguration ceremony a map ready made of
the districts in the inventory of their charter ; and his
filit duty must be that of war or of difficult negotiation.
a,"
"e doe+ not succeed immediately in the latter, he must
'sste in the former, and then the fruits of the present
t
air ate
will be nearly lost for Belgium and for
two
t Pe. This party, though in the minority, is ex-
.rer„
will e'Y Stirring, active, and impatient of controul. It
„ endeavour to precipitate a conclusion, in order to
b' -'e a failure. It has got nearly all the press at its com-
tine.dr,
ea,rndde,,b,ynaiap)p,ealing to the pride and passions of the
prolong or revive the present agita-
te ,rite army is, unfortunately, numerous, and eager
lain e4'ute swords with their former masters; and ter-
of points reinain to be settled, to which the King
a,teo4,ll(liadrrievoilst-ill never consent, except from the fear of
olej141: respect,
attering..bis internal affairs, King Leopold will by no
aver find a revolutional y throne " a bed of roses," how-
Inna:), the discussiona on the constitution, during last N0(10,4r
(10,4r and December, the Deputies spoke of a cheap
aequ~rvr-ninenti—of economy,,and of popular controul.
liSt must, therefore, necessarily be small, anti his
electe+cence in the pleasure of two Chambers, popularly
I,ese", unbounded. He has been made a King, and may
MMagain unmade. His prrower must necessarily be extremely
ated, and his conduct narrowly watched, with the clia-
toe:l%''tie jealousy of the Belgians. Any apparent leaning
d}tfnglish or a French policy will alarm and provoke
,rent parties and portions of his subjects, according to
hele respective interests. When I mentioned above the
chorus of acclamation which welcomed the King so far as
Cent, I should have added on this subject, that a part of
the Population of this city were silent on his entry, and
,11.‘ their houses were dark amid the pretty general Mu-
d:nation. The manufacturing interest to which I allude
eed a competition with England, and regret their old
connexion, with Holland.
:the Belgic Constitution, so far from admitting a here-
try Peerage, does not even admit of a Senate for life,
sallOA, the nomination of the Senators to remain with
toevt overeign. The Upper Chamber will be, like the
t0.,-tr, elected by the people, and for a term of years.
liuparreassensblies will thus arise from the same source and
,0 Ire of the sante passions. The Crown will therefore
the \ °
n t 4,4 support in the one against the encroachments of
er----no means of adjourning a delicate question till
popular feeling subsides.

GHENT, MONDAY EVENING.
111,r „ reception of his Majesty in this city has been far
lct,(1•
peve
e nattering thThereaaree n nparties his moit,t s
who, inenthusiastinced by c partisans
ou • in ' flue the
epdenf Orange, and by the Propaganda of Paris, have
hut d"ured to prevent all expression of public feeling;
R 4 t their efforts
were in vain. Three miles from the
Ii4:1: °Pen carriages, with ladies and gentlemen on horse-
eicv 'net the Royal cortege, and accompanied it into the
tt Crowds lined the roads and filled the houses, and
then ' of the people endeavoured, by running, to witness
teaZtrYt At half-past seven o'clock the Royal carriage
totte,r the gate, when his Majesty was received and wel-
gad terhY all the authorities—civil, military, commercial,
The :1018• The people cheered him loudly.
murninations were Very general during the evening.
cif People patrolled the streets to a late hour.