The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-29 00:00:00

eibvidit
14,

LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1849.

One or two circumstances not already referred
to by ourselves in reference to the recent court-
martial on Mr. PITMAN are eminently deserving
of consideration- Scarcely any one, it must have
been observed- has dared to exonerate that person
from the blame under which he has been professionally
excommunicated ; hardly a single individual has ler
an instant presumed to question the justice of the
authority to which he has become amenable. Never-
theless the haughty spirit of the service, or rather of
the superior officers in the service, has become occa-
sionally manife,ted in indignant allusions to the
manner in which the late Commander of the
Childers was tried—through the evidence, it is
superciliously remarked, of witnesses whose
characters were already tainted. Now, we
should be gratified to learn in what way the re-
ptPations of either Mr. ELLIOTT or of Lieut. GRA-
IiAM have been exposed to the oblequy of the world.
IVhose assertion, whose sole assertion is it which has
been accepted in testimony of the badness of the
character of these unfortunate young officers and
gentlemen ? Is not the solitary evidence adduced
against them, the evidence of a man who has been
convicted of cruelty, for inasmuch as he drove sub-
ordinate officials to desertion, to suicide, and to the
madhouse—of purloining, for inasmuch as he appro-
priated the ship's stores to his own use—and of
falsehood, for inasmuch as he deliberately made
a false entry in the log-book ? Why, if nothing else
were requisite to reveal the rottenness of the cause

of thi3 llr. J. C. PITMAN, it would be sufficient to

point in proof of it to the disgraceful document ridi-
culously called his " defence." Defence, forsooth!
Why throughout the whole of that miserable produc-
tion there was not one word in extenuation of his
conduCt as Commander of the Childers, there was not
one intimation of the fallacy of the facts alleged
against him, there was not one syllable in vindication
of a name hell up by the cnarges preferred against it
to profound and universal abhorrence. The whole of
this so•called defence was composed of—what? Of
abase of the prwecutors— mere abuse couched in the
language of vituperation. Supposing there were no
other indication of the nature of Mr. PITMAN'S tem-
perament beyond that furnished by this wretched
document, it would have been immeasurably more
than enough to damnify him in the estimation of the
community. And yet we are told that Messrs.
GRAHAM and ELLIOTT are persons of damaged repu-
tation, when their sole accuser is this very reputable
ex-Commander. Seriously speaking, condemnation
from such lips ought to be regarded rather in the
light of panegyric, and so we are satisfied it is re-
garded at this moment by the mass of the population.
A very few days have elapsed since the publica-
tion in our columns of a letter addressed to ourselves
by the esteemed father of Lieutenant GRAHAM, the
unfortunate young officer now being punished as a
convicted felon in the county gaol of Exeter. 144 that
interesting communication each of the accusations
levelled against his son by Mr. J. C. PITMAN in his
" defence" was considered categorically by the Rev.
Mr. GRAHAM, and to all intents and purposes was,
to our thinking, most clearly disproved. The
robbery said to have been committed by Lieute-
nant GitAffiat on the mess funds of another
vessel of war was shown, for example, to be a gross
and heinous calumny 1 The charge of intoxication
turned out to be equally, if not more egregiously,
slanderous! And the imputation as to his having
fabricated lying stories was proved, on the authority
of a shipmate, to have been literally nothing more
nor less than the perversion of some incoherent ex•
pressions uttered by Lieutenant GRAHAM when
almost distracted to a state of madness by the brutal

treatment received from his Commander. We
have really no words at our command
sufficiently emphatic to express our feelings
of indignation and disgust at a course
such as this, a course in which tyranny and false deal-
ing are followed up by the slanders of vindictiveness.
Less, however, could scarcely have been anticipated
from amen who has not sense enough of common
decency to prevent him from giving waylo a burst
of passion on the quarter-deck, so as actually to call
the Lieutenant "a liar" before the whole ship's
company.

In our impression of last evening will doubtless
have been observed a suggestion thrown out
by one of our correspondents, which, if correct
n its premises, would at once procure the libe-

ration of the unfortunate gentlemen now pri-
soners in the Exeter County Gaol. While we are

sanguine that this hint may lead to the release of

Mr. ELLIOTT and of Lieutenant GnAusx from their

present cruel and unjust incarceration, we are far
ndeed from regarding even this as sufficient compen-
sation for all they have undergone through the
domineering insolence and vindictive machinations of

Mr. J. C. L'insew. Expelled from the service in
consequence of this man's, unparalleled harshness,
they would still continue the victims of his cruelty
and malevolence. Something more would yet
remain requisite before in their instance the holy
cause of justice could be vindicated. We submit this
reflection to the public as one eminently deser:•ing
the consideration of tha people of the United
kingdoms.

It arrears somewhat exti lAnarr that a country
so especially remarkable fort, 4 t ap.,4.1 variety of its
manufactures as is Great 144,, a- c*o'.." try whose
vat Stealth at home and whes-e:-Wide-82reactinfluence
abroa I is !mit:ly the result of her unparalleled com-
merce, and who3e commerce, again, is the result of
her manufacturing skill—it is extraordinary that
Great Britain should h3ve hitherto given so little on-
couragement to the development of the ingenious and
industrious arts. Other countries have had their
exhibitions and their nompqitions, but in England
hitherto, although we count manufacturers among
our statesmen and manufacturers' sons among our
Ministers, manufacturers themselves have never re.,

ceived any public encouragement. This unjust and
anomalous line of conduct is henceforth happily at an
end. A great public exhibition of arts and maufac-
tures is intended to be held in London two years
hence, in 1851, at which the successful competitors
will be rewarded with prizes of a magnificence fully
adequate to the importance of the occasion. The first
prize will be the sum of 5,000/., and there are to be
five other prizes of 1,0001. each, which prizes, and
the gold medals accompanying them, her
MAJESTY purposes bestowing with her own hand.
For this ceremony, so national in its characteristics
and calculated to produce such beneficial effects, we
are chiefly indebted to the spirit and discrimination of
the President of the Society of Arts and Manufac-
tures, his Royal Highness Prince ALBERT. The
Prince, anxious to prornofe the development of arts
and manufactures in Engiind, Scotland, and Ire-
land, desired two gentlemen (Messrs. COLE and
FULLER) to ascertain from the leading manufacturers
of the three kingdoms whether, in their opinion, a
public exhibitien like the one proposed would be
likely to promote their interests; and, furthermore,
whether such ari exhibition should be exclusively
devoted to English, Scotch, and Irish manufacturers,
or open to competitors from all parts cf the world.
Air. COLE detailed the result of these inquiries at a,
recent meeting at the Mansion-house, from which it
appeals that the general feeling was in favour of the
exhibition, and in favour of its being of an unexclu-
sive character—" wherever they had bun on their
interesting mission, they had heard but one opinion
of extreme desire to see the whole world admitted to
compete at the exhibition." The Royal President of
the Society had expressed his intention, if the replies
of the manufacturers should authorise him, to lay the
subject before the Cabinet and urge its promotion by
the Government. We may, therefore, expect that at
last the industrious arts will receive in a remarkable
manner all the stimulus which public countenance
and private emulation can afford. The unexclusive
nature of the exhibition, at which artisans from every
clime and of every character may unite, in friendly
rivalry, is indicative of one of the happiest signs of
the times. This is the true Peace Congress, this
fraternization of all nations in promoting their com-
mon cause, the development of the peaceful arts. We
are confident that the proposition will be received
with very general satisfaction—a satisfaction en
hanced by the fact that the proposition itself is
another proof of how readily her MAJESTY and her
Royal Consort identify themselves with whatever
is calculated to promote the interest of the people.

The many differences of opinion between the
various authorities who are the supposed guardians of
the public health, and the many impediments and de-
lays which those differences necessarily throw in the
way of all satisfactory results, very forcibly demon-
strates one fact. The next session of Parliament has
already an abundance of work prepared for its hands.
Only a few weeks of the fecess have elapsed, but
those few weeks have been fr•.ught with matters of
grave importance—matters which will permit but a
brief recreation to the Ministers of the Foreign or the
Home Department. WI-at different aspect foreign
affairs may assume before next February it is, of
course, impossible to say ; but as regards our home in-
terests it is beyond a doubt—the awful number of
recent deaths, and the frightful revelations of the
registrar, have placed it beyond a doubt—that the
sanitary condition of London must undergo a minute
supervision and a material reform. Some months,
however, must elapse before the Legislature can in-
terfere, and in the meantime there are nuisances
in existence, the pernicious consequences of
which are daily apparent, adding to the fatal power
or the epidemic, of which they have been in some
cases very probably, if not the Frincipal, at least the
prominent causes. Are these nuisances to continue
to exercise their baleful influence until an Act o
Parliament has decreed the shutting up of all burial-f
grounds and the removal of all similar sources of
poisonous atmosphere ? Is London passively to submit
to the. decimation and do nothing towards her own
preservation collectively, because the inhabitants of
her various localities will neither help themselves nor
suffer others to help them ? Even in those countries
in which the fullest amount of personal liberty is
enjoyed individuals are forcibly prevented from com-
mitting suicide, and a similar interference is
assuredly necessary with regard to communities
Without in any way wishing to restrict
the due enjoyment and exercise of local authority on
the part of members of various districts, it is certain
that in a time of emergency private interests and
private animosities must be wholly set aside. The
Board of Health at the present moment holds, or
should hold, a position similar to that of a com-
mander-in-chief in time of war, whose authority, to
be benefi,ial, must be paramount. So essential is
unity of purpose to all matters of moment, that
NAPOLEON (a good judge of such matters) declared
that " one bad general was better than two good
ones ;" and all history tells us that the greatest evils
have been the inevitable consequence of a division o+
opinion and vacillation of purpose. " Who shat

(hale when doctors disagree?'—in such a case the
fate of the patient is generally decided. So it will be
with the sanitary state of London, unless all contend-

ing reformers give way, and one authority be im-
plicitly obeyed. That authority will, in such a case,
be invested with a heavy responsibility, which will
most probably act as a greater stimulant to exertions,

end a greater restraint upon imprudence, than the

clashing of opinions and the antagonism of rive:

powers, which has recently too much prevailed. The
tribes of Lilliput might very properly go to war for
the veriest trifle, but assuredly the people of London,

in the nineteenth century, are not to be consigned to

wholesale slaughter for some individual differences of

opinion.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
The following paragraph on the subject of the
Porn's manifesto appears in the semi-official Patric :
" The .manifeato of the Holy Father has produc. d
considerable sensation in the political and financial
world. This document was the subject of conversation
in the Hall of the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
We believe we may confidently assert, however, that
the policy of the Government will not undergo any mo-
dification, and that the French Cabinet is still on this
übj,ct in accord with the other Cabinets."
Death has been busy of late among the old officers
of the Empire. General BoRELLI, the uncle of M.
ODILoN BeaßoT, and formerly aide de-camp to
JUACHIM MURAT, died on Thursday.; General
D'AsToRG, another of the Imperial General!, died at
Nantes on Monday, and General MARTEL died at
Lyons on Tuesday. Within one week three of the
heroes of the Empire have passed from the scene of
life.

M. Dunn has been slightly indisposed, but is now
convalescent.

The Bishop of MomNs died on Thursday.
it is said that the celebrated LAMENNIIS if; about
to become editor of the 17.eforme.
M. PROUDLION'S new paper, the Feuille du Peuple,
which appeared for the first time on Tuesday, was
seized on ibursday ,by order of the authorities.
'1 ha Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse on
Friday at 56r. 15,..; the Five per Cents. at 891. 10e.;
Orleaea Railroad Shares, 7451; Rouen, 5301.; Great
Northern, 438% 75t!.; Avignon, 2201.; Vierzon, 301 f
950.; 2i is e, 1010. 75c.; Bordeaux, 4101.; Paris and
Stres.buri. 351 t. 25c.; Tours end Nantes, 2921..50c.

Dt.)...E. IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LON LOIC STOCK-FiCIIANGE. SIFT. 28.

Bodo 'e aid Amiens. 57 —'iutch Rhenish, 11; Great
Indian Peatassta, bA,—Northern of France, 2'3/i die.—Rouen
and 'Line, 10%.
~

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 23,1 have arrived.
The following are the proposals which the Catalan
manufacturers have submitted to the Government,
through the mediu,n of Senor ORLANDO:-1. That
no cotton goods be admitted into Spain that contain
more than 26 threads in a Spanish quarter of an inch,
and sheeting the Sp:;nish square yard of Nshich
wAghs but 24 aclarines (drachms). 2. That hand-
kerchif:fs shall he submitted to the same measure, but
paying the high duty imposed by laW. That :nixed
stuffy he prohibited (those of silk, cotton, and wool).
That tissues containing a mixture of cotton, hemp,
or thread, shall pay the average duty of 16 reals the
square yard. If these proposals meet with the ap-
probation of the Ministers, the Tariff Bill will be a
dead letter.

A meeting of some of the leading friends of the
Peace Movement was held this morning, at which Mr.
Cobden wvs present, when it was unanimously resolved
to convene a public meeting at the City t,f London
Tavern, on an early day, to consider the recent advertise-
ment of the Austrian Government for a loan of seven
millions, and to agree upon an address to the friends of
peace and disarmament on the general question of loans
forwarlike purposes and permanent standing armaments.

G E P

AND

Tuft,. NoRTI2ERN STATES.

PRUSSIA.

The Pflassian Government has authorised the re-
opening of the gaming-houses Ai:.-la Chapelle,
which were closed last year by order or German
Parliament. This is cne, among many Ober p:,Tsofs of
the superior rare which a paternal Government takes
of the morals of its subjects.
It is said that Russia has demanded the destruc•
tion of the Prussian constitution, the restoration of
Absolutism, And the reunion of the Duchy of Posen
to Prussia.