The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-03 00:00:00

THE LONDON JOURNALS.

DAILY
Extraels from the Morning Papers, Aug. 3, 1525.

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]
If any one should take it into his head to put
the Statute in force against absence from Church,
we would earnestly exhort him to begin with our
particular friend, the Lord Chancellor, whose
audiences of his Majesty on Sunday during the
period of Divine Service, have long vehemently
scandalized us and all other righteous livers. Al-
most regularly every Monday we have the pain
of recording, that—" Yesterday morning, be-
tween twelve and one, the Lord Chancellor was
honoured with an audience of his Majesty ;" and
we would put it to the scrupulous part of the
community, whether it is not a cruel grievance,
that a Journalist of a tender conscience should
be compelled hebdomedally to announce this uu-
rebuked transgress an. Setting aside the point
of Sabbath-breaking, is it proper that the first
Law Officer in the realm should be a Statute-
breaker ? No, we will take upon ourselves to
say, that it is not ; and the least that the
Chancellor can do, will be to pay up the penal-
ties of 20i. a month for the last twenty years
(which, after all, is no great price for the King's
ear), or, perhaps, it would be better for his Ma-
jesty to seize two-thirds of the offenders' lands,
tenements, and hereditaments, as he is empowered
to do under the 3d of James Ist, cap. 4), quoted
in our paper of yesterday. On consideration,
we think the latter will be the right course, and
the punishment will not be deemed by any means
excenive, when we reflect on the circumstances
of the transgression. The Chancellor, every
body knows, keeps the King's conscience, toge-
ther with some other little odd matters, that, as
the saying goes, are neither here nor there,
basvbles such as seals, maces, purses, &c.,
and he is requested to attend his Majesty on
Sunday, in order that our beloved Monarch
may overhaul his conscience, and see how the
accounts stands before he goes to church ; his
Lordship,however, by reason of divers doubts,such
as which side of his bed he shall get out of, or
which leg he shall put first into his best black
silk Sunday small clothes, or which of his equi-
table feet is entitled to the preference of pre-
shoeing, we say by reason -of these his daily
doubts, and the consequent delays, he cannot
contrive to get out of the house in time to carry
the King's conscience home befoWchurch-time,
and thus the Head of the State is prevented from
setting that example which we have a right to
look for in high places. Justly then will Lord
Eldon he amerced of two-thirds of his lands,
tenements, arid hereditaments, under the 3d of
James 1., cap. 4, and knowing, as we all do,
how his Lordship's soul loveth an old Statute,
we cannot but think that he himself will not
think this small taste of the wisdom of our ances-
tors amiss. No one who‘xecollects the extreme
affection with which the Chancellor clung to
the Act making it felony without benefit of
Clergy, for a man to go about at night with his
face blacked, can doubt the ardour of his attach-
ment to old Laws, and surely he will rejoice in
the opportunity of shewing how ready and how
glad he is to submit himself to the operation of
measures hallowed tiv time—" take two-thirds
of my lands, tenements, and hereditaments (he
will say), arid welcome—' Nolamus Leges
An-
elite mutari!

[TH E TIMES.]
The Irish Papers inform us that the new Ca-
tholic Association has 'had repeated meetings.
Besides the existence of this Association, there
have been several other indications of activity in
those persons who by common consent may be
regarded as movers of the Catholic body. Dinners
have been given at Wexford and elsewhere ; one,
indeed, at Waterford to a number of Protestant
Magistrates, who signed resolutions in favour of
Catholic relief. The language used at all these
assemblies has been the same ; nor ought the
enemies of the Catholics to quarrel with it on the
score of intemperance, since it would be too much
to punish those whom we provoke for showing.
themselves alive to the provocation. But the
language is all of the same spirit and character,
because there is no variety of speakers—
Messrs. O'Connell and Shiel at one Catholic
Meeting change places with Messrs. Shiel
and O'Connell at the next. Neither do
we wish to be understood as quarrelling with
these gentlemen for the strenuous and in-
defatigable assiduity by which they have so
much distinguished themselves, in the pursuit of a
good which none deserve but those who appre-
ciate it highly, and who grasp at with energy and
eagerness. We do not reproach the Catholic
°Jailors for the weakness of their numbers—a
weakness the more remarkable, considering the
immense multitude of those in whose names
they profess to speak, and through the influ-
ence of whose unanimity and cordiality thq
openly found their most sanguine hopes of
one day or other succeeding. That the advo-
cates, who are likewise the active agents of
the Catholic body, should be reduced to two
or three, is unquestionably not a crime on their
part : yet we may he permitted to look upon it as
a misfortune, most seriously affecting the reputa-
tion and welfare of this great public cau3e.—
It seems to us as unexampled as it is deplorable,
that an object, in the accomplishment of which
so many Lords and Baronets, and men of family
and fortune, representing a nation of seven mil-
lions, declaring themselves to have so deep an in-
terest, should be left to the exclusive management
of two or three individuals engaged ir. the busi-
ness of a laborious profession. The Catholic aris-
tocracy, in thus abdicating their proper functions,
ought by this time to be sensible of the sinister
use which is made of their supineness by the
enemy. Such conduct has been construed in va-
rious senses—and each of them unfavourable to
emancipation. Why, it is asked, should aProtest-
anfLegislature r go a yard out of its way to admit
Catholics to the Constitution, when, first, the
.toultittide enjoy already the most important
rights which they :could at any time hope to, ex-
ercise, and when, secondly, the Lords and Gen•
tlemen of that persuasion give themselves no

trouble upon the subject, but listen or look on
while a handful of barristers are year after year
appealing to the universe in their names? This
interrogatory is followed by an assurance that
Messrs. O'Connell and his colleagues of the
Four Courts, are the only parties who care one
farthing for emancipation, and that half a dozen
silk gowns with a seat or two on the Bench, are
the real and only advantages aimed at. Another
class of objectors laugh at any danger to be
feared from the Catholics. " See," we are
told, " how loosely they hang together; the
" speech-makers have no solid support from
44 the silent ones : let us leave them to dispose of
" each other." A third set of commentators
again remark upon the mysterious reserve and
coldness of the aristocracy, and even employ that
argument to impeach the honour of the more ac-
tive agents. "If O'Connell's designs were loyal
" to the state, and fair towards private property,
the natural heads of the Catholic body would
" prove more zealous in supporting him. Their
" inaction, on the other hand, testifies their distrust,
44 We may depend upon it that Shiel and O'Con-
" nell have reprehensible schemes on foot, or
64 the respectable portion of their own brethren
" would not withhold their concurrence." Such
are a •few of the adverse observations suggested
to the political enemies of the Catholics, by the
seeming non-interference of the aristocracy in the
prosecution of interests assumed to be their own.
If they do approve the means adopted by the
professional gentlemen of their common church,
they owe it to those gentlemen to take a larger
share of industry and responsibility off their
shoulders. It is inconceivable how much mis-
chief has arisen in England from the misconstruc-
tions to which the high personages we speak of
have rendered themselves liable by the obsurity
in which they have sought shelter. But the truth,
although an offensive one, we are bound to
stale. It is neither dissent nor distrust, nor
indifference to the question at issue, with
which the Lords and Gentlemen at the head of
the body are chargeable. It is utter inefficiency
—it is positive incapacity to take part in public
affairs. Strikingly and justly was it said in Par-
liament, that the natural effect of the penal laws
was " to impoverish the life-blood of the nation."
This execrable code was fitted to work no better
purpose : it disqualified every man who fell
under it, for discharging the proper duties of
his station, high or low. It reduced the power-
ful to imbecility : it inflamed the weak to des-
peration—maddening the humble into outlaws,
and taming the lofty into slaves. There was
nothing that could rouse a Catholic nobleman or
man of fortune to undergo the toils of ordinary
education. No field for talent could he ever
tread—no space could he hope to fill in the con-
templation of his countumen—no distinction could
he ever achieve—no influence growing out of
public character could he exercise—inanimate—
unambitious—untaught, and incapable. Such
have the penal laws made the old Catholic aris-
tocracy ; and fain would they now delegate to
the only efficient members of their body,—viz.
those who have thrust themselves into a learned
profession—the fuuctions which was emphatically
their own. From this humiliated position, we
do trust that the noble Catholic families of Eng-
land and Irrland with start upon choir foot.
may deliver bad speeches—they may be awkward
at the outset—but there is a noble recompense
before them. The success of their cause, we
conscientiously believe, depends much on their
personal exertions.

[NEW TIMES.)

Advices were yesterday received from Sierra
Leone to the 9th of May. The new Governor,
Major-General Sir Charles Turner, who had
proceeded in the first instance to the Gold Coast,
to make the necessary arrangements there for
guarding against future outrages of the Ashan-
tees, or other Native Powers, had returned to
Sierra Leone, after settling every thing satisfac-
torily to the Southward. Great expectations
were entertained at the Colony from the appoint-
ment of a steam vessel, which it was understood his
Majesty's Government meant to send out, for the
purpose of communicating between the distant
points of that station. I f the lamented Sir Charles
M'Carthy had possessed such means of transport-
ing troops, ammunition, &c. to the Gold Coast, he
would probably have been enabled to triumph ef-
rectually over the barbarous enemy. A few days
would suffice, with a steam-vessel to commu-
nicate between the different British Settlements
on the coast, whereas the prevalence of local
winds often delays sailing vessels as many weeks.
Sir Charles Turner imitates his respected prede-
cessor in the activity with which he moves from
place to place, to inspect the different Settle-
ments : after staying a short time at Sierra Leone,
to settle the affairs of the Colony, his Excellency
intended to proceed to Gambia, to inspect the
state of the Settlement on that river.

[MORNING POST.
We received last night by Express the French
Papers of Sunday and Monday last. Every fresh
arrival has lately brought something to confirm
the report that proposals have been made by
the Holy Alliance to espouse the cause of
Greece, provided her Government should as-
sume a monarchical form. We were assured
some time since, by the Journal des Debate,
that our Ministers had given their consent to
the measure, but had recommended that first
of all it should be submitted to the considera-
tion of the Greeks themselves. That this has
been done, and that the proposition has been fas
vourably received, seems placed beyond doubt by
the following intelligence published by the Eloile,
and dated Tino, July 6 :—" Expresses have
been sent with orders from the Government of
the Morea, to convoke at Napoli di Romania
Deputies from all the Islands and Provinces in
arms. These Deputies are called together to
elect a King of Greece. Some persons pretend
that it will be an Hungarian Prince : others say
a Greek of very noble descent. The Greek
Deputies in London are stated to have
counselled the Government of the Morea to
hasten the election of a King who should
be powerfully supported."—The Austrian Ob-
.server contains details of the proceedings of

the Turks before Missolonghi, but they are of a
very old date, and possess no real importance.
The Egyptian fleet is said to be cruising near
Modon, whilst the second division of that of
Greece was on the coast near Calamata. By a
letter from General Boyer, dated Cairo, May
20th, it appears certain that the Officer had
taken no part in the expedition to the Morea,
and had not consequently been killed in that ser-
vice, as had been stated' on the authority of ad-
vices from Constantinople.

['TUE PUBLIC LEDGER.]
We have received the Paris Papers of Sunday.
Those of the opposition, liberal as well as anti-
liberal, already triumph in anticipation over the
failure of the scheme for the conversion of the
Recites. Up to Saturday the sum converted
amounted only to little more than ten millions of
rentes, representing about 200,000,000 of capital
debt, or 8,000,0001. sterling, which is not above
a third of the floating debt, and a very insigni-
ficant portion of the whole. It is impossible that
any great addition can be made to this sum, as the
hooks will be closed on Friday next; and all idea
of paying off the refractory renliers is i❑ the ex-
treme ridiculous. To borrow so vast a sum,whatever
the friends or brokers of M.deVillele may a Iledge,
is wholly out of the question. When first he pro-
posed this ridiculous or rather impudent measure,
he had hopes that he would be able to force it down
the throats of the French.nation, with the aid of
English capitalists, who, he flattered himself,
would supply him with the requisite funds for
the purpose. As this expedient has failed him,
he has the mortification of counting not only upon
the loss of his scheme, but probably of his place.
He never would have ventured to entertain se-
riously such a scheme, decidedly hostile as the
French are to it generally, but for the expecta-
tion that he would find four per cent. a ready
bait in England, whilst only five per. cent. would
be accepted in France. To speak the truth, it
was an ingenious plan for robbing Englishmen to
the amount of 20 per cent. on the whole debt.
And we sincerely congratulate our countrymen
upon having escaped this snare. Weals() rejoice
at the failure in a political point of view, as so
large a sum of English money in the hands of the
French Government would have greatly embar-
rassed our own Government in the event of any
important negotiation between the two countries.
In any contingency of this kind, the British Ca.
binet must have had to choose between the con-
cession of some great point, or the ruin, perhaps,
of thousands of Englishmen. The plan was cer-
tainly a most impudent one, considering that five •
per cent. is the common rate of interest in France
on Government Securities; and even this rate
is not a fixed one, but the result of facti-
tious confidence, engendered by the most for-
tunate circumstance, and which any unto..
ward event would detract from in the same I
proportion. The present confidence is so artifi-
cial, that a change of Ministry would even suf-
fice to raise the rate of interest from five to six
per cent.; and an
_Uultra Cabinet, which is one
of the most probable occurrences imaginable,
would find it difficult, with its rash projects,
and uncompromising principles, to raise mo-
ney even at this rate. But if the hopes of
.11 good men, and the confident enpectatiOnS of
many enlightened ones, were to be realized in
Spain, even at this rate the French Govern-
ment would be unable to borrow ; and in
what a pretty dilemma would the English
holders of the New Rentes then find themselves !
But, enough of this: the French Minister will be
caught in the meshes of his own net, as it is next
to impossible, with so many enemies ready to
take advantage of his distress, that he can retain
his place, after having failed in so important a
project, and compromised the credit of the
French Government in so glaring a manner. It
should be recollected too, that the plan of indem-
nifying the emigrants depends upon this scheme ;
and the latter, who hated Villele before, will be
furious against him, when they see their hopes
frustrated by what they term his political tric-
kery. The only interest which an Englishman •
can take in the matter, is the effect it may have
upon the relations between the two countries ;
but the prosperity of Engliind is based upon so
solid a principle at present, that, let what happen
in France, it would effect our interests very
slightly.