The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-18 00:00:00

borate reform was first mooted has borne testimony. As
one instance among many, only look at their conduct on
the flagrant abuses in the gaol of Newgate being made
known. Not content with denying and palliating- facts,
the existence and the flagrancy of which were as pal-
pable as the sun at noon day, they retaliate upon the
prison inspectors in every possible mode of personal
recrimination. Instead of kissing the rod, and endea-
vouring to profit by its wholesome infliction, they would
have us believe that the worst conducted prison in the
kingdom is the very best, though, after labouring this
point ad nauseam, they actually turn round and propose
to burden the country with the expense of rebuilding
it. What ! rebuild a prison which has no defects ?
Truly these civic sages rival in consistency their Whig
masters. But what may be fairly called the bwzne bouche
of this immaculate body, is to be found in its recent ad-
herence to those gastronomic propensities, of which it
would not be too much to say that in process of time a
million of money, probably, has been expended, which
might have been more reasonably and rationally em-
ployed in improving the city, in diminishing local bur-
dens, in mitigating distress, and in various other com-
mendable purposes,which so wide a field for action must
from time to time have presented. But even with the
wand of reform, which may rather be characterised as
the scythe of death hanging over their heads, the ruling
passion wears to be irresistible, and " Let us eat and
drink, for to-morrow we die," the only text on.which
they are all agreed. To ask what City feasting costs,
requires an answer which we cannot give ; but is an
an answer which, if truly given, would, we have no
doubt, astonish the inquirer. Laying the expendi-
ture of the several Companies and the Sheriff's out of
the question, the annual grant to the Lord Mayor on
this head is bad enough. The guzzlings of Guild-
hall and the Mansion House, however are not suffi-
cient, but each of the Committees into which the
members of the Corporation divide themselves must
have a separate gournzanderie of its own. This had
grown to such an extravagant pitch that the members
themselves began to be ashamed of it, or afraid of
the consequences ; but to abolish it altogether was a
' point of self-denial to which these worthies had not
attained ; and they, therefore, refer the tavern expen-
diture to a Committee, which reports the following
as the future scale ; which, without any remorse or
misgiving, is readily adopted, and that in the face of
a Government Commission sitting to investigate the
necessity of Municipal Reform :
The Irish Society (exclusive of journeys), per ann , £2OO
City Lands Committee 4OO
Bridge House
Gresham 25
Sewers
Navigation
Coal and Corn

General Purposes
Corn Meters 5O
London-bridge Approaches

Blackfriars-bridge
Nightly Watch
Library
School .
Market

In all £2,675

Now, when it is considered that most of the persons
who propose this honest mode of disposing of money,
not only not their own, but of which they are the
sworn and appointed guardians, are most of them pro-
fessed Reformers, and whose virtuous indignation is
roused at every head of expenditure which has for its
object the maintenance of our institutions in Church
and State, can any one suppress his indignation at
such barefaced profligate inconsistency, or cease to
wonder at the slowness with which the reform they
preach reaches themselves ?—Morning Herald.
The communication of our Lisbon correspondent
deserves the serious attention of our readers. The
British Admiral has, contrary to the remonstrances of
the existing Government, placed the Talavera, a ship
of the line, with her broadside to the square of the
Custom House, and in such a position that she can
batter down the whole of the city in a short time. The
usual anchorage of ships of war is between Belem Cas-
tle and the Packet Stairs, and none but the Portuguese
vessels: are permitted to go higher up the Tagus ;
but it seems, for reasons best known to the British Mi-
'lister and Admiral, that the Talavera has been planted
in the most favourable position for offensive operations
against the city, a display is kept up of boats passing
and repassing from the her to the rest of the squadron,
and marines are landed in the most conspicuous man-
ner, for exercise. What is all this done for ? Clearly to
overawe the people, or to aid the Queen, or rather the
Prince, in his desire to overturn the Constitution of
1820, and to restore the charter of Don Pedro. It
is undertaken by a hint from home. Ferdinand is
nephew to the Duchess of Kent, and cousin to the
future sovereign of these realms. Lord Palmerston is
already canvassing for their favour by playing any part
at Lisbon that may suit the views of the Prince Con-
sort and of his wily adviser, M. Van de Weyer. We
are no admirers of the Constitution of 1820, and we
believe it has been imposed on the Queen-by a small
faction, as the Charter of Don Pedro was by a still
smaller, backed by an English naval and military
force ; but we think it is an awful thing to find a Bri-
tish Minister and Admiral disregarding the remon-
strances of an existing Government, and assuming
a warlike attitude without any explanation. Sade
Bandeira is as much the Minister of the Queen of
Portugal as Mendizabal is of the Queen of Spain.
The Constitution is imposed upon both sovereigns
by the same means, and Lord Palmerston will not
he permitted to make a distinction in the one case
which he does not in the other—to place Mr.
Villiers as a guardian to Calatrava, and to put Lord
Howard.de Waldenlin opposition to the Conde di Li-
nares. We are by this step giving a final blow to the
British interests in Portugal. The Miguelites, or ra-
ther Royalists, for personally Don Miguel has not any
friends, hate us for our conquest over them ; the
Queen's party, because we made the convention of
Evora Monte, and did not annihilate Don Carlos and
Don Miguel ; and now the Constitutionalists will look
upon us as enemies to their cause and country. We
have earned the national hatred from all parties.
Viewing the mooring of the Talavera in an offensive
position, against the remonstrances of the Queen's
Government, as an act of hostility to Portugal, and
tantamount to a declaration of war, we are anxious to
know what opinion will be entertained of it by the
European Powers. Whether to please the cousin of
of our future Queen, and the neice of our future
Regent, or merely as a thoughtless action of the
British Admiral, this extraordinary step has been
taken, we cannot help viewing it in a most serious
point of view, and of calculating that seriots
embarrassments may be the consequences of it. It
will be seen by our correspondence that an abortive
attempt has been made to overturn the Constitution,
and replace the Charter of Don Pedro ; and that the
poor Queen has had to undergo the indignity of
being questioned by her Ministers as to the sup.
posed part she has taken in it. Tears were the
only answer of the daughter of Don Pedro. The
threats of the National Guard have more influence
on her than the remonstrances of her husband, sup-
ported, as they are, by the British Government and
a British fleet. It is difficult to say which is more
embarrassing,—the state of Spain or the state of Por-
tugal. The finances of both are alike exhausted, the
Oovernmentg overawed by a Ministry chosen by the
mob, and each are hurried into ruin by the pretended
friendship of the British Minister. They are both on
the eve of a counter-revolution, To whatever part of
the Peninsula. Lord Palmerston turns himself he must
find serious matter for reflection, and, if he were capable
of examining his own conduct strictly, abundant Ma=
terial for self-reproach,—Mornina Post,

An agent was lately sent by Don Migtiel 4rigi
to sell two diamonds belonging to that -edam Liam!,
disposed of them to a jeweller, for b 0,600 francs, he has re.
turned, with the money to Rome.

It 4 rief4llY reports(' tilat the French (loyemment
hay,c cr(l,ere4 1/13/1 packets to go in future to liamsgate,
_instead of Dover, from the obstructions caused by the bar
at the utter 14Ce•—_-_,Kegtis4 Ob4CrVen
4 4WISW4Rp Tile 04Y last
two respectable fernaips, both in the greatest state of agi-
tation, entered the shop of Nr. 1). Woodhonsc, chemist,
18, iking William-street, London,hridge, and almost with.,
out uttering a ward proceeded up the stairs into the 'raw-
ing-room, where the youngest of them was delivered of 4
premature child. We understand that the mother is likely
to do well,