The Sun.
London, England, 1825-02-07 00:00:00

[NEW TIMES.]

The panic which► subsisted on Saturday after-
noon amongst the holders of shares in the Joint
Stock Companies exceeded any thing which has
yet taken place, and great fears are entertained
for what may be expected to follow. It will be
perceived by reference to our Price List; that the
decline has been both extensive and general,and in
many descriptions of shares the prices were merely
nominal, especially in those of the Real del Monte
and Tlalpuxahua. It is, however, expected that
those Companies which have any real claim to
public attention will be able to withstand the
torrent ; at present the alarm is general. Sir
Charles Stuart proceeds out forthwith in
the Wellesley, 74, to Lisbon, and thence to Rio
Janeiro. Report states, that an autograph letter
has been received from the King of Portugal, ex-
pressing his Majesty's personal approbation of the
plan suggested by the British Government for
bringing to an amicable conclusion the differences
between Portugal and Brazil. Further accounts
from Lisbon and Rio Janeiro may be expected.
daily, and are awaited with much interest,
.par-
ticularly by the houses connected with the two
countries.

[THE PUBLIC LEDGER.]
Last night we received Rio Janeiro Papers to
the 14th of December inclusive. On the 30th of
the preceding month, a Decree was signed by the
Emperor,appointing a Military Cornmission,to try,
in the most speedy and summarymanner,the persons
implicated in the assassination of the late Go-
vernor of Bahia. By the last ad vices from t.hat
province, which are as late as the 6th of December,
we are happy to learn, that tranquillity was then
nearly re-established, and that several of the assas-
sins were taken, and delivered up to the Military
Commission, which had commenced its labours.
At.Pernambuco not a vestige remained at the
beginning of December of the late troubles ; and
a dispatch from General Lima, dated the 3d of
that month, says, that the Constitution was sworn
to in the greatest part of the Province, at that
date, with the greatest pomp. Some disturbances,
however, had broken out in the Province of Ceara,
in consequence, it would appear, of proclaiming
the Constitution ; but they were soon put down,
and several persons had fallen the victims of their
insubordination.—ln the Capital• the greatest
tranquillity was visible ; and the Government
seems to possess the requisite vigilance and
energy to maintain its authority at home, and
repel any attack from abroad, should the latter,
contrary to all probability, be attempted.

[MORNING POST.]
The discussions on the Address in answer to his
Majesty's Speech have elicited every objection to
the past and proposed measures of Ministers which
the Opposition could imagine. They
have also
enabled his Majesty's Government to expose the
futility of those objections, and to set Parliament
and the Public right, respecting the intended
augmentation of the Army, and one or two other.
matters on which an erroneous impression had
previously prevailed. We have also the satis..
faction to remark, that the whole course and
tenour of the policy pursued and contemplat-
ed by Ministers extorted the unanimous ap-
proval of their oppouents—with the. exception
of some mere party cavils, on the subject of the
Irish Catholic Association. Nay, Mr. Brougham
and his side of the House, so entirely concurred
executed,
made air
in the measures adopted, and in the mode Which
Honour-
theyableingenious
b u t v anti
1i have
e Learnedn
d e avu
been
o Gentleman that the r
to obtain for himself and col.

leagues a shadow of the credit thus reflected on
the Cabinet. The playful, but powerful ridicule,
with which Mr. Secretary Canning derided and
dissipated this attempt, will long survive in
the admiration of the country—and excite a
laugh in all times to come at Mr. Brougham's
" thunder" The Honourable and Learned
Member indeed seemed to have laid aside ordi-
nary prudence in his haste to snatch its just
laurels frow the brow of Administration. For
if " tribute should be given to him that tribute
is due," the honour of having demonstrated and
adiocated a liberal system of trade belongs to
:Adam Smith—not to the Whigs. With respect
to the practical application of the principles of
that system, it could not have been undertaken
before by Ministers with any hope of success. In
this free nation the Cabinet,-although it may and f
aught to- lead public opinion, cannot run counter
to it, Without defeating the very objects in view ;
and unquestionably, till very recently, the mind
Of the country was not convinced of the expe-
diency or practicability of setting any branch
of industry at liberty. The moment such a
change in public sentiment became apparent,
the 'Advisers of the Crown took the most judicious
means, not only of acting on, but of encourag-
ing it. This is the highest praise any Mini-
stry could be entitled to. Upon ode point
connected with the subject, we even think
parliament has been too sanguine—we fear it
bias outstript the advance of intellect among
those for whom it has legislated, and there-
by rather thwarted than promoted its own
end. Before a law—particularly one withdraw-
ing restraints—is enacted, it is almost indispens-
able that those upon whom it will immediately
Operate should be qualified by a just understand-
ing of the bearing and purpose of the measure,
to aid passively as well as actively in its execu-
tion. got; we certainly do not think this ne-
cessary condition existed in those classes of the
cowmunity affected by the late repeal of the
Combination Statutes, and to that circum-
stance we chiefly ascribe the baneful conse-
quences which have ensued in all the
,manufac-
turing disticts. It is therefore preposterous to
prefer an invidious charge against Ministers of
not having sooner introduced a system of free-I
trade, and most of all for the Opposition to be •
the accusers. When the Chanceller of the Ex-
chequer last year proposed to liberate the Silk
Trade, who endeavoured to defeat the project ?
very Gentlemen who now advance a claim
to its merit ! They were then willing to leave
political economy in the lurch, in order to gain
political popularity by clamouring for measures
of a widely different description. But enough on
this subject.

LTHE TIM Es.]
The course of Ministers is not likely " to run
smooth" in getting up their apparatus for the
suppression of the Irish Catholic Association.
Mr. Brougham has moved for a call of the House
of Commons, that the sense of the whole country,
MO far as it is there represented, may express it-
self upon this new coercive measure. From the
warmth with which the notice of Ministers
with regard to the Association has been treat-

e& in Parliament, we augur one misery a

least, added to those which already beset
every subject relating to Irish affairs—viz.
a great increase of that bitter spirit of faction
which overlays and deforms the whole face of
Ireland, and has constituted for centuries the
mltin.evil of her condition. There is nothing that

we would more earnestly deprecate, whether
within the doors of Parliament or without them,
than any approach to a question rendered so cri-

tical'as this is -by the• season and circumstances
whicle•have raised it,except with minds altogether
uriiihfluenced by iealous, angry, or vindictive pas-
sions. '; Many--inonths have now elapsed since we
plaitily told the Catholic leaders what would be
the certain result of a perseverance in their me-
racing and overbearing language. We -besought
them to weigh well the English character—
whether this was a nation to be bullied—whether
they. Would be more likely to gain their object
or-tri lose it, by exciting fears among those who
alight -be alarmed for their religion, or resent-
ment ,amang those who were alive to insult ;
or 6.further, by affording pretexts to others
ixbe: ,wanted only a mask for their selfish-
ness, • wider colour of reasonable dread or in-
etgnatian. • All- these questions we asked them,
artd almost •ia the words we have now used ;
tfibjoining, that 'as they could not hope to carry
their point against the will of a British people,
it .was their obvious interest to conciliate and
,persuade those affections, or those understand.
inggi.on which must finally turn the great measure
fari:the success of- which they languished. For
these friendly' and'upright admonitiong we were
grossly and scurrilously reviled. The 'vanity of
•itidividuals was wounded, because we pre-
ferred- a public cause to its mistaken advocates ;
they persisted in their weak' and pernicious
course, and-our prophetic fears have been to the
litter accomplished. The mass of the people
liet&—we shrintd be hypocrites to deny
actually regard'al! Papists, and Irish Papists
•more thud all. with'ten times the old measure of
hostility. Mr: Canning speks -nearly the truth
when he'dectares 'that it would be impossible to
carry, Catholic Emancipalion against the present
Sense of the people-of 'Eng-land. Instead of the
Catholics -obtaining access to the Constitution,
therhavelioW•cootrivedlo shut out us Protestants
from some-of the privileges'whiCh we-have ever be-
fbre eojoyell. This, tooot-was'our irksome office
forwarnihe,Associators would inevitably hap-
,pen. Distinctly -aod-repeatedly we adjured 'them
:not to furnish PXCliSei to the common enemy-
-tt!a haters of 'every• thing like'-popular right for
staking fresh encyoachments- 'on the" Constitution.
And -bow can such encroachments be now
averted ? flow is it practicable to frame an
Act of Parliament which • shall 'be effectual
-ap..fainst the Catholic Association only, and shall
nOt trench upon the recognized right of assort].
debating, and petitioning for redress of
'that
The Catholics met in a room. 'ls
•• 'th4 frightful supplement' to the Six Acts' to
ittitue the law of the British 'Empire—that people
'firaThridt meet iiti a rti6riir without the authority' of
'ri) kitlsate-? 'T he right of adjournment •is to
• •
• .