The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-04 00:00:00

Cfn

LONDON,
THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 4, 1836.

OPENING OF PART,LIVIENT

AND THE

KING'S SPEECH.

His MAJESTY this day opened the Session of Par-
liament with the usual formalities. He went in state
from St. James's Palace, preceded and followed by
the whole of his Household retinue, in a carriage
drawn by eight horses richly caprisoned, with superb
new harness—the postillions and footmen in, attendance
being also dressed in new state-liveries.

His MAJESTY'S departure from the Palace, and ar-
rival at. the House of Peers, was announced by the

firing of cannon.
Though the day was far from favourable, the crowds
of people to view the procession were very great, and
along the whole lima of road which his MAJESTY
Fussed, he was received with loud cheers.
His MAJESTY, we arc happy to state, appeared to
be in the potAsession of excellent health.
On his M4JESTY'S arrival at the House of Peers,
he was 'conducted to the Throne, with the usual cere-•
monies, and in a firm and distinct voice, delivered' the
following most gracious Speech :
"` MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
"It is with great satisfaction that I again tn,,et the
great Council of the nation assembled in Par);.ament. I
am. over anxious to avail myself of your ahice and assis-
taxice, and I rejoice that the pre.sent state of public
affairs, both at home and abroad, is such as to permit you
to proceed, without delay or ir.ttrruption, to the calm exa-
-mination of those measures which will be submitted to
your consideration.

" I continue torf.sceiwie from my Allies, and generally horn
all Foreign Powrirs, assurances of their unaltered desire to
cultivate with me those friendly relations, which it is
equally my 'xi.sh to maintain with them ; and the intim ate
union w/,'lch happily subsists between this ccruntry and France% is a pledge to Europe for the continuance of the
general peace.
" Desirous on all occasions to use my friendly endeavow.'s to 'remove causes of disagreement between -other Pbwers,
I 'nave offered my mediation in order to
compr,se the dif-
fcrence which has arisen between France.
RP:I the United
States. This offer has been accepted -11,: the King of the
F.-ench ; the answer of the Presider, :4; 'of the United States
but j entertain a confident
has not yet been received ;
'Tope that a misunderstanding bet' dem two nations so enlight-
ened and high-minded, will b - ,e settled in a manner satiq;
factory to the feelings,. and d
of both. , consistent with th honour
" 1 have still to lame
contest in the Norte .41. the
continua
nee of the civil
measures which I hr,v,.4 ,
rn Provinces of Spain. The
.: taken, andthe
engagement into
which I have entete,j,
sufficiently prove my deep anxiety
for its terminatior,•; and the prudent and vigorou conduct
of the present Cr'
' overnmcnt of S
Ilopain inspires 'me with the
pe that the authority of the Queen will soon be estab-
lished in, tvery part of her dominionp ; and that the
Spanish, 'nation, so long- connected by f-:iendship with Great
lity and union.
Britain, will again enjoy the bl4f?,yir.,
gs of internal tranquil-
€i 1 have given directions _that thVT be laid before yog

\,

Treaty, ikl have concluded with the cen
Spain for the suppression of the Slave Trade.
" GENTLEMEN OF THE HOTTSF. OF COMMONS,

" I have directed the Estimates of the year to be",prepared,
and laid before you without delay. They have been
framed with the strictest record to well-considered dciintirny,
" The necessity of maintaining- the maritime strength of
the country-, and of g.vin adequate protection to the ex-
tended commerce of my .subjects, has occasioned some in-
crease in the Estimates for the Naval branch .of the pub-

lic service. •
" The state Di: the etintitietro and manufactures of the
United KingdatTh is tiiihly satisfactory. I lament that any
else eey subjects should still suffer distress ; and the
'<4l.Aotkltles which continue to be felt' in important branches
of Agriculture, may deserve your enquiry, with the view
of ascertaining whether there are any measures which
Parliament can advantageously adopt for the alleviation of
this pressure.
" MY LORDS AND GENTLtMCN,
" I have not yet received the further report of the Com-
mission appointed to consider the state of the several dio-
ceses of England and Wales. But I-have reason to believe
that their recommendations upon most of the important sub-
jects submitted to them, are nearly prepared. They shall
be laid before you without delay, and you will direct your
early attention to the Ecclesiastical Establishment, with the
intentionairendering it more efficient for the holy purposes
for %Want has been instituted.
" Another subject, which will naturally occupy you, is
the state of the Tithe in England and Wales, and a mea•
sure will be submitted to you, having for its end the
rendering this mode of providing for the Clergy more fixed
and certain, and calculated to relieve it from that fluctua-
tion, and from those objections to which it has hitherto
been subject.
" The principles of toleration by which I have been in-
variably guided, must render me desirous of removing any
cause of offence or trouble to the consciences of any por-
tion of ray subjects, and I am therefore- anxious that you
should consider whether measures may not be framed,
which, whilst they remedy any grievances which affect those
who dissent from the doctrine or discipline of the Esta-
blished Church, will also be of general advantage to the
whole body of the community.
" The speedy and satisfactory_ administration of justice
is the first and most sacred duty of a Sovereign, and I
earnestly recommend you to consider whether better provi-
sions may not be made for this great purpose in some of the
departments of the Law, and more particularly in the Court
of Chancery.
" I trust that you will be able to effect a just settlement
of the question of Tithe in Ireland, upon such principles
as will tend at length to establish harmony and peace in
that country.
" You are already in possession of the Report of the
Commission appointed to enquire into the state of the Mu-
nicipal Corporation in Ireland, and I entertain the hope that
it will be in your power to apply to any defects and evils
which may have been shown to exist in those Institutions,
a remedy founded upon the same principles as those of the
Acts which have been already passed for England and
Scotland.
" A further report of the Commission of Inquiry into the
condition of the poorer classes of my subjects in Irela*
will speedily be laid before you. You will approach this sub-
ject with the caution due to its importance and difficulty, and
the experience of the salutary effect by the Act for the Amend-
' ment of the Laws relating to the Poor in England and
Wales, may in many respects assist your deliberations.
" I rely upon your prudence and wisdom, and upon your
determination to maintain as well as to amend the Laws,
and Institutions of the country ; and I commit these ques-
tions of domestic Policy, to which I have deemed it my
duty to direct your attention, into your hands, persuaded
that you will so treat them, as to increase the happiness and
prosperity, by promoting the religion and morality, of my
people.

The Session of Parliament opens this day; and
never was there a more momentous one. Appearances
are all in favour of the Liberal party—so ably and
worthily represented by the MELBOURNE Cabinet—
for they are united ; full of rational hope and confi-
dence ; in possession of a majority ; and strong in
the good opinion of their countrymen. We need not
talk of the various measures of Reform expected at
the hands of Ministers ; but this we may .say, that
among their other plans of national improvement, they
must not omit taking into consideration the expediency of
modifying the Municipal Reform Bill. At Bristol, we un-
derstand, that great measure has worked but indifferently,
in consequence of the Lords' Amendments ; and we have
no doubt that in other places, it has been attended with
the like results. Nevertheless, impeifect as it con-
fessedly is in some of its details, it is still a great boon,
worthy of the country that has received, and the Go-
vernment that has bestowed it; and that the people are
not insensible of its value, is evident from the im-
mense number of Addresses of congratulation to his
MAJESTY and his Ministers, that are daily being sent
up from all parts of the country. Upwards of forty
of the principal Municipal boroughs, which a few
months ago were rank Tory, have already sent up Ad-
dresses full of gratitude and respect to his Majesty, for
the wholesome change that the Corporation Bill has
made in their Councils. Here is encouragement for
Government to persevere in their course of Reform ;
and that they will do so,--and that the Session will be
one of triumph, not defeat, to the Liberal party—we
will not permit ourselves to doubt for an instant.

The Tories are continually railing against the revo-
lutionary doings of the Radicals ; and yet, strange as
it may seem, they never refuse to participate with
them in any general benefit derived from such doings.
They detest baking and bakers, but have withal an
uncommon relish for hot-rolls. Before the passing of
the Municipal Reform Bill, the Tories saw nothing
but perfection in the whole municipal system ; but
now that the inhabitants of towns corporate have ac-
quired some authority whereby they can effectually
controul the administration of their common property,
an?, regulate the amount of their local taxes, the county
rate-payers the main-stay of Toryism have
discovered that they too ought to exercise some
inguence over the assessing, levying, and expending of
the county rates. While the extreme Liberals—the
Radical Burgesses—were suffering from the evils of
taxation without representation, our county folks never
discovered that an acknowledged principle of the
British Constitution was being violated ; but as soon as
the Liberal party had triumphed in their efforts to era-
dicate an abuse which pressed with peculiar severity
upon them, the county rate-payers found• that they too
were not without a similar grievance, originating in the
same anti-constitutional cause.

Do we blame the Tories for seeking to obtain ihe
sane privileges as the Reformers ? By no means. All

we blame them for is the habit of holding back-so long.
Their final desire to participate in the results of changes
proves them dishonest in previously resisting all change.
The rate-payers of the county of Hertford, are
among the first to claim a participation in the same
rights as those ceded to the tax-payers of towns under
the Municipal Reform Act. A • petition, drawn up
the name of that highly-Nspectable and influential
body, the Land-owners and Land-occupiers of this
County, and intended for presentation to Parliament,
has been forwarded to us, accompanied by a printed
circular, signed by Sir CULLING EARDLEY SMITH.
This petition sets forth that n; violation of an acknow-
ledged principle of the British et,•zlstitution—namely,
that representation should accompany taxation—the
county-rate is imposed upon the rate-paying „Immunity
without the consent first obtained of the contn:lutm's
themselves, or of an authority representing or professing
to represent them. The petition goes on to explain
this, by showing that the Magistrates who levy and
superintend the expenditure of the County Rate are

independent of the r-payers, individually and col-
kctively ; and the petition concludes by praying Par,.
liament to p:lss a law giving the flttezpayers a power,
either alone, or ethi'ettrfeiitisi with the Ikiagistrates, to
thd amount of, and assist in administering, the rate
which they contribute. The prayer of the petition is
just and constitutional, and, we have no doubt? wll be
acceded to by Parhameut.

'~ '<:~

13.7'e have inserted in another part of The Sun of
this day, a luminous and well-timed Appeal From the
Polish patriots exiled in London to the British nation.
We shall not anticipate the response that will be made
to it by Parliament, in the name of the people of these
realms. When the subject is brought before the Le-
gislative Body, we have no doubts as to the result, and
we do trust that Ministers will be found at the head of
the majority. Poladd must be delivered from the yoke
of the AUTOCRAT. England has guaranteed the na-

tionality of Poland, and the exiled Patriots may rest
satisfied that she will redeem her pledge to that effect.

We have perhaps been guilty of some departure from
the strict line of public duty, in not recurring
oftener than we have done to the conduct of the
Rev. WILLIAM BERESFORD, and exposing it, in its
proper colours, to public view. The truth is, that we
were deceived by the deep hypocrisy of this holy scion
of a holy stock. At the inquest which was held on the
bodies of the unfortunate victims of clerical cupidity at
Inniscarra, he threw such an air of sincerity and humility
over his deportment—he seemed to feel so much com-
punction for what he had done, and expressed so strong
a desire to make all the reparation in his power, by
providing for the families of the two men who lost their
lives through his instrumentality—that we forbore to
press hard upon a man who, however culpable, ap-
peared to be penitent.
Mr. BERESFORD acted his part before the jury to
admiration. He sighed, and sobbed, and wept, and
wrung his hands, till every one believed that his heart
was wrung also—but therein lay the mistake. Mr.
BERESFORD felt rio remorse for what he had done—
none in the world—he was merely alarmed at the pro-
bable verdict of the jury. " Wilful murder" had an
ugly sound in his ears, and he did not know who might
be implicated ; he therefore struggled hard, and pro-
mised fair, until the danger was over. But no sooner
are his apprehensions quieted than his mock contrition
disappears, and BERESFORD'S himself again.
That this man did actually pledge himself to sup-
port the family of the peasant who was shot by his
process-server, HUDSON, there is, and can be, no
doubt. The observations which his seemingly
generous declaration drew from Mr. CAHILL, the
Roman Catholic Clergyman, and others, who were
present at the inquest, show, beyond all question, in
what sense they understood it. If they had misappre-
hended the Reverend Gentleman's meaning, Men was
the time to have set them right—then was the time to
have said, " Gentlemen, you are labouring under a
mistake : it is the family of the process-server, not that
of the man whom he shot, that I mean to provide for."
Any honest man would hive acted thus. Mr. BERES-
FORD did not act thus, because he was playing the
hypocrite all along.
We cannot see that it would hare been any great
stretch of charity, bad a clergyman's bounty been ex-
tended to the widow and children of a man who had lost
his life by the hand of an agent of his, even under or-
dinary circumstances. But there are, in this case,
some circumstances which ought to have brought the
fate of MAHONEY, and the destitute state of his
bereaved family, home- to the Reverend Gentleman's
bosom with irresistible force—that ought to have
made him grasp at any means—we do not say
of burying his conduct in oblivion (for that is im-
possible) but—of lessening the public abhorrence of a
deed which, in a minister of the Gospel at least, stands,
and we trust will ever stand, without a parallel. This en-
counter between the process-servers and the peasantry
was not one of those casual affrays which are so common
in Ireland—it was premeditated.' Mr. BERESFORD
knew that his men could not discharge the duty he
imposed upon them without danger to themselves ; yet
he forced them upon it. He admits this himself. His
repeated solicitation for an additional force is of itself
the strongest evidence of the fact.. But that is but
the least part of the atrocity of this transaction. He
armed his process-servers with pistols, and, that there
might be no mistake as to his intentions, he loaded
these pistols with his own hands !! ! This is the
damning fact that no subterfuge can evade—no sophis-
try palliate. This simple but expressive act, speaks a
language that cannot be misunderstood. Here we

find the Ineffaceable record that bloodshed was medi-
tated. And by whom ? Who is it that thus deli-
bcratelv prepares, in the retirement of his closet, the
instruments that were to scatter death among his parish-
ioners ? A pillar of that Church which boasts of its
Apostolic origin!—a minister, gracious Heaven !of
that Gospel which proclaims peace on earth, and good-
will to men ! !

Until this achievement the Reverend Tithe Cham-
pion of Rathcormac stood unrivalled. He is now eclipsed
by the hero of Inniscarra. Parson RYDER gave to the
world the first example of a clergyman levying military
execution upon his !parishioners. He gave the word
of command, and the blood of nine human beings
flowed on the ground. That was a noble sacrifice to the
God of tithe—an acceptable offering to the insulted ma-
jesty of Mammon. But HYDER's triumph was incom-
plete. He could not boast that the shot which widowed the
mother, and made her children fatherless, was rammed
home by his own hands. That honour was reserved
for another—that laurel could appropriately grace no
broW but the brow of a BERESEORD.

The magnanimous Times asks why these occur-
rences should be remembered ? We can easily un-
derstand why a Journal, which has done so much
to produce such scenes by inflaming the worst pas-
sions of the worst part of the Irish people, should
wish to draw a veil over these deeds of blood. But
justice to the Catholic clergy, whom it has so foully
calumniated—(oh, what it would give for a Catholic
RYDER or a Catholic BERESFORD !)—and above all,
the interests of that humanity which shudders at the
recital of these atrocities, demand that they should not
be forgotten, but held up to public execration, until
the system of which they are the natural fruit be en-
tirely abolished. It is necessary that this system should
be exhibited to the world in its genuine hideousness
poisoning the springs of social happiness and na-
tional prosperity—setting man against his brother man
—steeling the breast against the feelings of nature
—converting the messenger of peace and love into an
exterminating demon—and rendering that religion
which was intended to be the greatest blessing, the
worst of curses..

To appeal to the cold-blooded hypocrites who are
straining every nerve to uphold this appalling state of
things in Ireland, would, we know, be a vain task.
Their hearts are not made of melting stuff. But we call
upon all who arc anxious for the maintenance of pub-
lic order—upon all who are zealous for the honour of
the Christian religion—upon all the friends of huma-
nity--to unite in assisting the Government to put an
end to• these enormities in the only way in which that
cal: be effectually done—by extinguishing the Tithe
syste;
This is the baleful source of Ireland's woes--
''';n Upas-tree that overshadows her soil,
the death
'1
7'

and until it is ektifpalett, fciot alid blab, it '
sible that she should know either health or happiEss:
The Whale of the Paris Of Tuesday have-
-,
been received. On Monday iirO-
ject for the Conversion of the FiVe per Cents., upon
7140 w 9 some observations in The Sun of Sa-
itildiVi On the incitivn of M. THIERS, the discussion
on this project is fixed for this day. It is yet doubtful
whether Ministers will make it a Cabinet question, or
leaVe it ow.
vngsen FUNDt4.--PAltts, FegattAttlt
rive per Cents., WA 43e, Stk.
Four per Cents., 1011
Three per CentS.lf. Set. 45C. are.
flAtik Actions, 2,18.1'. :?,100f.
Bente de Naples, 9 f. Obt
Boman live per Cents.. 11,3!4.
Spanish Actives, 451, 41% 48. •
Bpanish Difteresi 24 14; !fie
Pafilit'CA) h!c1.1:!, „,
nova snauish Loan, 01. „
Belgian Loan, Five per Cents., Sel3%;
I'ortugne e Loan, live per Cents., SF •
Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents, 5314 51.
Dutch Two and a half per Cents., NZ 25c. a6f.
tlaytiau Linn, 4101.
EXCHANGP. ON LONDON.
One month, paper, ‘2.5t: .1.5 e.; money, 231 41e.
Three months, paper, 25f. 30e.; money, '251:
AuMentique.

BOURSE, THREE O'CI.OOK.-The French securities have
declined this day, without any other apparent cause than the
anxiety about the discussion of the conversion, which is.to be
opened on Thursday.
The Spanish securities have been much agitated to-day ;
the news of the dissolution of the Estamentos had disheartened
the holders. The Actives opened at 481, fell to 47, but have
since recovered to 48.

QUARTER TO FOUR.—Five per Cents., 109 f. 25c. ; Three
per Cents., 801. 60c. ; Five per Cents. Spanish, —; Three
per Cents. Spanish, —; Cortes, —; Coupons, —; Gueb-
bards, —; Differes, 18a; New Loan, —; Actives, 48;
Passives, 15i; Ducats, 99 75 ; Romans, 1031; Pcdros, 841 ;
Belgians, 1031 ; Dutch, 56f. 85c. ; Haytians, 410 f. —c. ;
Miguels, —; Brabant Bank, —; Belgian Bank, 134- ; Con-
tinuation, —c. ; New Differes, 243-; Five per Cent. Pei pe-
tuelles, —; Royal Loan, 38. '

In announcing yesterday the arrival in the City of
despatches from IVladrid to the 28th ult., we stated that
the dissolution of the Cortes had taken place, in conse-
quence of the New Electoral Law having been passed
by the Chambers. This was an error. The Law was
not passed ; Ministers were beaten upon it by the
Torenists and the whole of the Ex-Ministerial party ;
and MEND IzABA L advised an appeal to the sentiments
of the Electors. This measure has met with the gene-
ral approbation of all classes in Madrid ; and there
cannot be a doubt but that the provincialists will
be exceedingly gratified with this appeal to their pa-
triotism. The new Chambers are to assemble on the
20th of March.