The Sun.
London, England, 1836-07-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY. JULY 16, 1836.

THE SECRETARYSHIP OF THE

POST- OFFICE.

TO THE EDITOTt OF THE SUN.

SIR—To the indefatigable and untiring perseverance of Mr.
Wallace, the Member for Greenock, in his measures of Post-
office reformations, the public owe a debt of lasting gratitude.
Abstractedly considered, the question is not one of a political
nature. It is a subject In which every grade of society have a
deep interest, and it is therefore more than surprising that Mr.
Wa!lace's honest exertions should have been so frequently
thwarted. It must, however, be gratifying- to the Hon.
Member for Greenock to know that his endeavours, with a
view to effect it thorough cleansing of this Augean stable, are
supported by all but those who have hitherto subsisted 'on the
" loaves and fishes" of the Establishment, Mr. Wallace is so
thoroughly acquainted with the existing Post-office abuses as
to excite great surprise in the minds of the wiseacres of the
Post-office and their friends, how ha could have received his
accurate information. Mr. \Vallee° is second to none in po-
litical rectitude, laying aside altogether his unassailable moral
conduct. Constituents everywhere would be honoured by
such a representative—one, and the only one, of 658 who
annually resigns his trust. Dare other Members do so ? No,
political apostacy would speedily terminate their legislative
career did they act so openly and honestly. But this is di.
gressing from the subject. Sir Francis Frceling is dead, and,
of course, the Secretaryship is vacant. By whom is the situa-
tion to be filled? Ma Commissioners (to be) of the Post-
office will have, on their appointment, a most important if not
a difficult duty to perform—that is, to consider whether it would
not be adviseable to make a clean sweep at St. Martin's-le-
Grand. I mince not the subject. Satisfied I am, that until
the present set are turned adrift no effectual reform in the
system of the Post-office can take place, even were the Com-
missioners appointed to-morrow. During the late Secretary's
illness, which prevented him from attending for nearly a year
to his public duties, although he pocketed his princely income,
the machinery of the Post-office worked equally well, and this
fact naturally prompts the question—is a Secretary then ne-
cessary ? It is to be hoped the Government and the Com-
missioners will consider this. If they should be so grossly
remiss in their public duty not to do so, I have a firm convic-
tion that Mr. Wallace will not overlook it.

London, July 15,1 a m,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
1836.
JUSTITIA.

RAILWAYS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The course the two Houses of Parliament arc pursu-
ing in regard to Railroads is extremely detrimental to the
public. One day they hold out encouragement—the next
measures are threatened which would effectually suppress
them all. It is surprising that the concentrated wisdom of
the most enlightened nation in the world should hesitate as to
its course in a matter which admits of no question. By all
sane people it is admitted, not only that Railways are works
of public utility, but that they are indispensable to our com-
mercial prosperity and national greatness. Then does it not
follow that they should be protected and encouraged? Clearly
it does. And unless the Legislature makes a distinct avowal
of its determination not to allow of any Railways but such as
will clearly pay the projecors for their outlay of capital, and
not to allow in any case of the slightest competition between
Railways, their further progress is stopped.
The proposition to limit the profits of the shareholders, and
the term of,their holding, is the emanation of a morbid mind.
When this proposition comes before Parliament in the shape
of a Bill, it should be accompanied by another, to limit the
rents of landowners to ten shillings per acre, and their term of
holding to twenty-one years. The two propositions would be
twin arguments which coda net fail to illustrate each other.
N.

MENDIZABAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The proudest tfophy of tile talent, honour, seal and finan-
cial ability of Mendizabal has been shavir'n, tsy the adaptation
of his finance plans by lituritz, without a strict regard to
which, the national credit (and without it what is a nation ?)
would be prejudiced to an extent it would be painful to anti-
cipate, and the real friends of Spain, and liberty, would trem-
ble to behold the consequeneN.

As an honest, independent Minister, Mendizalial still be re-
spected for ever in his own country, and be honoured i s all
others, particularly in England. His pl.;in, fair, and honest
system of real business, the perseverance always prudentially
displayed, the zeal and probity with which he ,accepted and
left office, the disregard invariably evinced to individual inte-
rest, have in England won him many friends, and where his
straightforward principle and attention to British interests will
always be remembered. Rather than submit to an intrigue,
or become the-cat's-paw of a faction, despicable as imbecile, he
chose the noble alternative of resigning that trust he was
unanimously called to in the hour of peril, sustained with dig-
nity, and retained only as long as compatible with public prin-
ciple and private honour.
Exparte statements have appeared in many journals, bear-
ing the impress of political malevolence, attempting in a most
garbled and unfair manner to attack and impeach the financial
credit and probity of the late Premier.
This futile experiment, concocted for the ingenious purpose
of influencing the elections, haS signally failed, and happily
recoiled on the honourable inventors.

Conscious, proudly conscious of the undisguised, ample, and
able exposition-he can offer in the proper place, Senor Mendi-
zabal has wisely reserved a defence for another Assembly,
where he is always listened to with attention, and heard with
respect.
The dishonourable attack on the late Premier of Spain has
been most unfortunate for the projectors. It has even served
the man they endeavoured covertly to malign, at the expense of
themselves, the calumniators.
It is universally known, and remains uncontradicted, that no
Minister ever more neglected his On'il private interest, or ever
made greater sacrifices to serve his country; many merchants
and citizens of London can prove this fact, that personal aggran-
dizement, or the enrichment of himself, were not the motives
or thoughts of Mendizabal. In London, or Madrid, this is
equally attested, and those who have assisted Spain in her dif-
ficulties, and the exigencies of the war, beheld in him the
pledge of credit and easy confidence.
The wish of Mendizabal was always to unite the bond be-
twpen the two countries more firmly, and his Anglo-Spanish
feeling and zeal to promote this mutual good' has led to his re-
tirement. For a short time the Gallic party will be in the
ascendant. Gasconade revels triumphant, but will not stand
the contest with British principle, British assistance, and
its honest policy. The British Auxiliary Legion are, officers
and men, grateful for the honest support he has invariably lent
them, and they would hail with enthusiastic welcome the return
to power of their best friend. It is indeed pleasing to find that
the Government of Spain are determined to afford the same
necessary support to the Legion, and that Senor Mendizabal's
influence has been most disinterestedly exerted to promote this
desirable object. Sensible of the moral and physical power
of the British phalanx, care will be taken that adequate
supplies will be furnished. Under every difficulty, patience
with them has been the order of the day, and in no service
have privations been more quietly submitted to without discon-
tent. The best understanding reigns amongst officers and men,
who have always shown an enthusiastic attachment to their
brave and intrepid General.
I have the honour to be, most respectfully,
Your humble servant,
July 10. NUGENT MACNAMARA
6th Regiment Scots Grenadiers, B. A. L.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNAL.

The intelligence which reached our Government through
Vi:?nna, of the dismissal of the Re's Effendi, has been con-
firmed by ofgcial information received yesterday from Con-
stantinople: Despatches; which left that city on the 22d
nit., ,onnOtirted that Akif Effendi had been dismissed, and a
successor, Ahmet ilouloussi, appointed to the office of
Reis Effendi. A fuller of Mole complete reparation for the
violation of our treaty rights, catild riot have been recorded
by the Sultan a indeed, we question if strict justice ought
to have demanded even so much. Unacquainted, however,
as we are with the minute details of the original transac-
tion,
it is difficult to say to what extent the Reis Effendi
may have been responsible for the deliberate violation of a
solemn treaty ; though the fact of. his. having declined to
interfere in order to arrest the progress of so gross an tint.
rage might perhaps have been deemed sufficient to justify a
demand for his dismissal. This demand, however, had not
been as yet made either by the British Government or by
our Minister at Constantinople ; and the voluntary re-
paration which has been offered cannot but be re-
garded as the more satisfactory to the Power to which it is
offered, and the more honourable to the Sultan from whose
sense of justice it proceeded. It was not until the entire
matter had been referred to the English Government, and
all negotiation on it between Lord Ponsonby and the Sul-
tan was at an end, that the Reis Effendi was dismissed.
The act which, upon the 15th, before the departure of Lord
Ponsonby's courier might have been, and with sufficient
plausibility, attributed to timidity, must be now received
with all the grace of a. voluntary act of justice. It was the
fullest reparation that could be offered ; and if anything
could render rt more acceptable to the British Government,
or more honourable to the Sultan, it is, as we said, its hav-
ing been rendered at a moment, which leaves no doubt of
its having been perfectly spontaneous. The importance of
this amicable termination of an affair -which certainly
had assumed an unpleasant aspect, is not confined mere-
ly to the removal of all ground of' difference between
Great Britain and the Sultan. The principle that has
been freely recognised by the Porte—even before it was
asserted by our Government—has laid the foundation of a
more satisfactory intercourse between Turkey and the
States of Christendom. The determination of another
Power not to violate a right is a more grateful security for
the preservation of peace than our own capacity to main-
tain it ; and the recent affair of Mr. Churchill very fully
proves that though individuals even in the bighest_offices in
Turkey may, from prejudice, from passion, or through the
instigation of a hostile foreign influence, forget the obliga-
tions or violate the engagements of the Porte, yet there
exists in the mind of the Sultan and of the majority of his
Council of State, those high feelings of national dignity,
and that deep-rooted sense of national honour, which in-
spire them with a fixed determination never to allow any
stain to be cast on the good faith of Turkey, and to sacri-
fice all personal considerations to the paramount duty of a
religious observance of treaties.—Morning Chronicle.
Our numerous• readers will be delighted to learn that
the Chancellor or the Exchequer has determined that the
reduction of the Stamp Duty on newspapers shall take
effect on the Ist of September. There can be no doubt
that the Bill will have received the Royal assent long be-
fore the day in question, unless the Lords shall in the
height of their obstinacy and perverseness, add to all their
other iniquities that of withholding cheap and useful know-
ledge from the people; but although the intended act might
have come earlier into operation, it was felt by the pro-
prietors of newspapers that it would be much better, under
all circumstances, to have a specific day named for the
commencement of its operation, than that it should depend
upon the uncertain period of the Bill becoming the
law of the land ; and the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, in accordance with the invariable attention to
their interests which he has always exhibited, most rea-
dily consented to their views. No proprietor of a
newspaper need, therefore, now complain either of the
want of due notice, or of not being prepared for the change
either with regard to paper or machinery. We may add, by
the bye, what our friends in Ireland are perhaps already aware
of, that a discount of 25 per cect. upon the penny stamp,
is to be allowed to the Irish newspapers—a boon which we
do not grudge them, but which must operate most benefi-
cially in their behalf.—Morning Advertiser.
Register—Register—Register !—Every man having a
Claim to the elective franchise must Lave his name regis-
tered on or before the 20th of the present month, otherwise
his vote must remain in abeyance for the next twelve
months. No time should be lost ; next Wednesday is the la:t
day ; and as the' Reform interest sustained great injury at
the last and preceding election, from the negligence of many
entitled to the franchise, in omitting to send forward their
claim in due time, we trust on the present occasion that the
Liberals will compensate, by their activity and zeal, for
their former most culpable supineness. It is not sufficient
that every man should attend to the registration of his own
vote, but he should also exert himself amongst his neigh-
bours, and urge them • not to let the present opportu-
nity pass, without enrolling themselves amongst the
Electors of the. Empire. We are on the eve of great
changes. Before the lapse of twelve months the frame-
work of our constitution itself may be remodelled, and it
never was more incumbent than now on every citizen to be
at his post, to watch the progress of events, and use every
possible exertion to protect the State from the machinations
of its enemies. If the electors neglect their duty, and a
general election from any contingency should take place,
the most serious consequences may ensue. Either the pro-
gress of reform must be retarded, or the unrepresented
many may take into their own hands the trust which those
exercising the franchise hold for the benefit of the Common-
wealth. Limited as even the present franchise is, it em-
braces an amount of public opinion sufficient, with activity
on the part of the Reformers, to enforce an acquiescence
with the just demands of the people ; but if the electors
neglect their duty, or betray their trust, the , necessary
changes in our institutions may be forced on by less consti-
tutional and less satisfactory means ; for this reason we call
upon every 'man entitled to a vote to Register, Register,
Register! Voters in boroughs must pay all their poor.
rates and assessed taxes, due on the 6th of April, before
next W ednesday.--11forning Advertiser.
The criminal records of this or any other country
furnishes few, if any, instances of any thing so horribly
atrocious as the facts elicited last week on the trials for
perjury at Carlow, of the three delinquents there con-
victed. These miscreants, it will be recollected, were
convicted of having deliberately sworh to circumstances
as facts, every one of which were proved to be false, and
the intended effect of which was to convict of murder,
and consign to an ignominious' death, an innocent and
respectable, than, and that man the kind master of one
of' these wretches. Not only were these men convicted
of this crime upon the clearest evidence, but proof as
irrefragable was produced of their being urged on and
indemnified in the perpetration of it by one or more Roman
Catholic priests. Now, When we presume so much as to
hint at keeping no faith with heretics being a principle
of the Popish religion, we arc instantly taunted with illi-
berality and falsehood, and are told that whatever may have
been the case in former tithes, no such principle is now
recognised, either in theory or practice. To say nothing of
that 'species of mental reservation which enables Roman
Catholic Members of Parliament to vote for the spolia-
tion of the Protestant Established Church, surely we
have proof enough in the facts brought forward upon
these trials to satisfy the most incredulous amongst us, not
only' that no faith need be kept with heretics is still a
dogma of Popery in full and active operation, but there is
still a plenary indulgence to be obtained for assassination
and more deliberate murder. We are far from wishing it
to be believed that this stigma attaches to the whole of the
Roman Catholic body, either lay or clerical. On the con-
trary, we feel persuaded that the 'English Catholics are, for
the most part, if not altogether, free froni such imputation ;
and we would fain hope that even in Ireland there are many
who would shrink appalled from the recognition of such a
principle, and still more from its practical illustration, as
in the case before us. Of this latter supposition, however,
we should feel much better satisfied, were we to see any
considerable portion of the Catholic body, either lay or
clerical, or both; voluntarily coming forward, and at once dis-
claiming and denouncing such an imputation as this horrible
circumstance conveys. Till that is done, and done to an ex-
tent which in their present state of thraldom and excitement
we anticipate but little chance of seeing accomplished, the
imputation will rest as one which sets at nought the highest
obligatiOn=that of an oath—which is known among mankind,
and renders even a court of criminal justice no longer a
safeguard to the innocent, or a terror to the guilty. Surely
this frightful discovery cannot be lost upon that part of the
public in England and Ireland, who have hitherto been in-
credulous as to the nature and extent of the danger with
tloifustbsigsannctify perjury and , they are threatened.
xrroilliech,,eirtyt tphoew pe rr eisvehnitos tcaatne
mur-
der is the source, the origin, and controlling influence, which
now rides rough-shod through the Council Chamber of
Great Britain, openly threatening 'the Prorestant popula-
tion of Ireland with again assuming the ascendancy there
both in Church and State. If any thing can open the eyes
of such persons to the consequence of such an ascendancy
—if the dark catalogue of past horrors, which the page of
history presents, has not proved sufficient—surely the case of
Mr. Sly must be sufficient to awaken the most incredulous
and bigotted. With such a sample as this before his eyes
how deluded must that man be, who would hand over any
part of his Protestant brethren to such a dominion—to
the dominion of the lowest priestcraft, in whose hands the
volume of mercy and salvation is rendered the instrument
of oppression, of perjury, and of murder.—Morning Herald.
The Ministerial journals inform their readers that the
Conservatives " are resolved to have another trial of
strength on the appropriation clause, when the Irish Tithe
Bill is returned from the Lords deprived of that vital prin-
'ciple." They also express considerable apprehension that