The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-26 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TIII: PUBLIC JOURNALS.

It has long been our conviction, and we stated as
much yesterday, that when the tug of the Reform
contest comes noon them, the borough dealers—the
rot-ocracy—will die hard. The love of abuse is,
with this body (class we might call them), an in-
stinct. They are men who from their birth up-
wards have looked at the country—as their fathers
and party-predecessors did before them—through
the comfortable media of place bestowed by the
Crown or Minister, emolument drawn from other
people's purses, and at their continued enjoyment
of such (disgraceful) advantages founded on t
ihe do-
mestic monopoly of boroughs—that is, on tneir ndi-
vidual power of substituting their own vepresenta•
tives in Parliament for those of the people of
England. The love of :Anise with these politicians,
however, is indulged under the flattering semblance
of attachment to the 44 ancient British Consti-
tution," and of reverence for " the wiedom of our
ancestors." Why ?—Because the antiquity of the
whole Constitution is personated in their eyes
by that of those '..)arts of it which to them-
selves
and their families have ever been most profit-
able, and because the whole mass of wisdom ire- i
puted to the times gone by is represented, to didr
contemplation, by that sinister por.oon of it yeh;cl,
employed itself, from age to age, in corrupt contti.
Vance; for perverting, to personal and selfi•li ohjecte,
institutions originally established for the public
good. Thus the family traditions and habits of
former generations, acting upon the eager selfishness
of each succeeding one, have tended to mature and
consolidate a system, first of feeling upon details,
and next of thinking upon general questions at all
connected with a change in the modes operandi of
the elective power in ibis country ; which, to any
enlightened foreigner, roust appear the most de-
grading, or tIT most preposterous, th:tt ever dis-
played itself in political eli.m.sion. With the ex•
istence, then, of the above abuses of representative
government, and the prevention of all effective
form, are involved, we doubt not (and conscientiously
too in many instances) according to the creed of the
vulgar herd of English aeistocrrus, the maintenance
and enjoyment of wlacever it is that renders the po-
sition in the commonwealth most precious to their
own minds, and most enviable to the rest of the com-
munity. Will such a source of solidly eminence
and grandeur be sacrilied without a struggle? For-
bid it, ye houses of Newcastle, Rutland, Beaufoit,
Hertford, and Beresford, Peel, and Holmes ! The
high aristocracy of the Tories—represented, indeed,
as we learn, and guided, if not commanded, by the
bearers of the two illustrious name,: last mentioned—
have already organized a mighty opposition to the
crusade of these Whig inteu topers against the vene-
rable wrongs of the king-don). Some skill and great
pains have been employed, as is asserted, to bring
together a force from sundry quarters, and to direct
:t to a common end—the abatement of that vile nui-
sance, a reforming Cabinet. The trade of politics,
nay, of official power itself, will be ruined, if this mad
scheme of letting in the ignoble multitude to a share
of their own spoils be successful. The borough mo-
nopoly is like the power./oorn, it does the work of
many hands, though it does not, like that economical
and fructifying machine, call many more into
useful action. it. is an instrument which Sir Robert
Peel and his busy coadjutor may not be able, with
all their dexterity, to keep much longer from tum-
bling about their ears. The plot in support of the
Anti-Reform system, is one, we say, which never
can succeed, if Ministers will only have sense enough
to see that the public safety depends on their own
persevering maintenance of the post which the So-
vereign has assigned to them—if they have at once
the sound judgment to court a frequent communica-
tion, on political measures, with the King, and pluck
enough to throw themselves and their policy for
protection upon the English people. We repeat
our earnest counsel to the people, to be strenuous,
indefatigable, and uncompromising, in their decla-
rations and demands for Reform. Without their
most vigorous aid, the Ministers may be defeated in
their national and noble enterprise. The enemy is
in the field—we can assure our countrymen of the
fact ; and his intrigues are even more to be dreaded
by us till than his numbers. If the reforming Go-
vernment be not encouraged and stimulated from
without, we may live long before we see another
defeat of the Tory boroughmongers.—Tinies.

The union of trades has for some time filled the
master-manufacturers with dismay. They now find
themselves completely under the controul of the
workmen. The measure of the intelligence of the
latter is all the master can rely on. The system of
assassination which has been introduced, justly
causes the most serious alarm. A master-manufac-
turer from the North, speaking of the case at A-11-
ton, where another son has been fired at, said the
men had now determined to abandon ail attacks
on property, and confine themselves to attacks on
life. This is a serious state of things. For our
own part, we hold it impossible to prevent skilled
labour, in the long run, from falling. to within a
little of common labour. Union of trades may for
a time keep up artificial prices, but as long as Ireland
can deluge this country with potatoe-fed hordes,
the English must fall. The Union of Ireland and
England is of far less consequence to the English
labourer than the raising the condition of the Irish
labourer. There is a bridge between the two
islands; and labour cannot be high in England end
low in Ireland.— Morning Chronicle.

A very interesting meeting of the inhabitants of
the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, on the subject of
Parliamentary Reform, took place yesterday. The
speeches delivered were pithy and pertinent. They
wisely avoided all details by which the unanimity
might be disturbed, excepting proposition of ballot,
which is everywhere taken up by the people as a
sine qua non. In fact, when it is seen that a whole
nation, as with one voice, declares its conviction on
a point like this to be as exempt from doubt as
with respect to the most obvious elementary truth ;
when we see the instructed and the uninstructed
equally confide nt, we cannot be far wrong when we
set down any manifestation of a contrary opinion, in
other quartets, exclusively to sinister interest, or a
disposition to compass by fratn!ulent means what
ought alone to be obtained fairly and honestly. The
opponents of the ballot, we hesitate not to say, are
interested men. However the number will be consi-
derably diminished by the decided manifestation of
opinion of all impartial men. It will be clung to, of
course,by those who wish to retain the power of exer-
cising an unfair influence over their fellow-citizens;
and who are selfish enough to disregard the mental
torture to which they may subject those through
whose prostitution they may hope to effect their
ends; but though they may cling to it, they will no
longer have the confidence of men who imagine they
can deceive. They will repeat their stale fallacies
respecting the necessity of Englishmen being inde-
pendent, and having :to concealment, with that sub.
doted tone which men cannot help using when they
know that their trickery is seen through ; and
though it is trite the ballot is in some sort un-
English (in some sort only,. for common in
the higher ranks), yet it were to be wished thiit
many other usages, such as corruption and drunken-
ness at elections, were also un•English. We hope
that Englishmen will soon be able to feel a just
pride in boroughmongering being un-English ; and.
that the word boroughmonger will. never be
repeated by posterity but .with: the feeling of dis-
gust which the memory of.the
evils inflicted on
England by this class ought to associate with it.
That the character of our countrymen -has been
lowered by the corrupting practices to which our
electioneering system has given rise is a:poiris re..
specting which, unfortunately,' there can be'no dis-
pute. Let us hope that.with the -"cessation of the
cause the effect will also soon cease.; and that another
generation will have difficulty in giving credit, to the
tales of venality and profligacy handed,down to them'
in the records of the day.. "-When, a Freneh:snob
(says the writer of an
article on the. spirit of..sci-.
ciety in England and France,,in the number of the
Edinburgh Review just published) are excited, they
clamour for glory—when an English mob are in-

dined to be riotous, they are thirsty for beer. At
a contested election, the feelings of the working
classes must necessarily be strongly excited. The
harangues to their understandings.—the addresses
to their intereitts—the artifices far their affec-
tions—the cangregating • together—lle confer-
ence—the discussion—the dispute—the spirit of
party--these, if any emotions might well be sup-
posed to call forth the man from himself, will excite
to their inmost depth his generous as well as angry
sympathies, and weaning him from ail sefish consi-
derations, to hurry him into even a blind and rash
devot'.on for the cause he adopts, and a disdain,
which no lucre can soften, for that which he ota-
pc3c:,„ And so, indeed, to tire, uninitiated spectator
it may appear; but how generally is that noisy ar-
dour the result of a purchase—hew mane, in such
a time, and in such scenee, will grow inebriate on
the hospitality of tole, with the intention of voting
for another-•--.how large the number of those to
whom you speak of retrenchment and Reform, who.
remain unmoved till the bribe,. a hinted, and then ;
vote, callous to priociples•—these are suborned by '
the purse! When, in the late general election, a
pa trietic advent ti rer was engaged in attempting
to open (as the phrase is) a close borough, one -
of his mo'.t ctienuous supporters deelaimi‘og on
the vileeess of the few privileged voters in
toreiving thirty pounds each for their votes,
added, with the eir of a man of delicate con-
science, r But if you open the borough, Sir, we
will do it for five.'" And in tenth, it would
be singular if all the virtue cf the country was con•
filled to the lowest of the people. When these see
around them the highest born in the land not
ashaated to quarter their wives and daughters on the
public purse, are we to be astonished that a me-
chanic or a labourer should occasionally look to the
parish pa; -atable for a supply ? When a Duke or
Alai-lois gives to Ministers his votes, " that (to use
the language of one of the speakers at the meet-
ing) his aunt may be made a Bishop," are we to
wonder that the decor should make a merit of
abating 251. in the accustomed price of his vote ?
The poor man sees venality the order of the day,
and that prostitution rises or falls in estitnatlon, like
every thing else, by the price it brings.; and only re-
grets, therefore, that he cannot become more respec-
table by selling himself fer more. The Liverpool people,
ho would have cold themselves fora quart of ale rat her
than vete for nothing, are of course proud of their
having sold themselves to some purpose (leaving the
cases of deaths and insanity from drunkenness out
of the question). Money er money's worth is the
rule in England; and the poor have found out their
price as well as the rich. The son of tatott, the
celebrated Evangelical (see an article in the Edin-
burgh Review, on the Evangelical School), says his
father wed often to Mention the sarcastic congra-
tulation offered at a visitation by a dignified Clergy!,
man to an evangelical brother, who Iced married a
lady of fortune (the Evangelical Clergy are sup-
posed to hunt after fortunes). ' Ay, ay, brother—
we eim at the same object, though we have our
different ways of attaining it !'" In short, where
a Government is founded on corruption, the spread
of intelligence is the spread of corruption.—
No man hkes to be thought a greater simpleton
than his neighbour; for, as Rouchefoucault long
ago remarked, a man will much sooner forgive
you for calling him a revue than for calling him
a fool. The exam:-le from on high is seen far and
wide. Why: says the mechanic, should all the
good things pass me; let me have a share of the
spoil. During the Rebellion of 1745, a dairyman,
seeing the Scotch Highlanders emptying his milk-
pails, thought it better to have a share himself than
to lose all, and endeavoured to out-drink the rest.
There can be little morality under a Government
founded on corruption. The question is not so
much, in such a state of things, the quality of the
act, as safety. The boroughmonger sells his vote
for a Bishopric or a Stall, or a Commission—he is,
of course, safe, for lie is the law maker. The
Elector sells his vote—he is not so safe—for it is
the interest of the berouglimoriger that he should
have a right of preeminence. But the quality of
the act is the same. Mr. Fearon alluded to the
cases in which ballot did good, and the cases in
which it did harm. In all cases where ballot inter-
feres with responsibility, it of course is an evil.
Secret tribunals are bad, because responsibility to
public opinion is the only security for judicial honesty.
Secret voting in those who exercise a delegated trust,
is art evil ; for it deprives us in like manner of the se-
unity for their honesty—the opinion of their con-
stituents on their conduct, The House of Commons
would be much more corrupt and negligent of its
duty than it is, if the lists of majorities and minori-
ties were not published. We protect the public by
secrecy against unfair influence; and we protect the
public against the dishonesty of its servants by
publicity. We were glad to see at this meeting a
proper confidence reposed in Ministers, while, at the
same time, the feeling was expressed of the neces-
shy of supporting them by such a demonstration of
opinion throughout the country, as would alone en-
able them to withstand the Powerful interests op-
posed to Reform. i*.o men ever yet willingly re-
nounced power; hut a prudent man looks at the
man who stands up to him, and if he perceives he is
not a match, he avoids the unequal conflict. Let us
show the boroughtoongers that we ore formidable.--
Morning Chronicle.

His MAJESTY, we hear, has given orders to
build, forthwith, some airy and spacious barracks at
Brighton, capable of containing six companies of the Foot
Guards, with suitable mess-rooms and apartments for the
officers. We believe Sir JAMES KE3trT has been required
tro give his opinion as to the designs for the building, the
site of which is at the corner of Church-street, where the
present inconvenient barracks have fir so many years
stood. Many extensive improvements in the sleeping-
rooms of the Pavilion are also to be made, by which it
would appear that their MAJESTIES find the air of Brighton
salutary, and the society and pursuits which the place
affords agt eeable.—Morning Paper.

The news from nemel of the prohibition of
the export of all descriptions of cora from the Russian
ports is confirmed ; but it only applies to Poland and the
adjoining districts, where large supplies will be necessary
for• the Russian troops on the opening of the campaign.
EFFECTS OF THE ARREST OF MR. O'CON-
NELL—We stop the press to state that the arrest of Mr.
O'CoNNELL is likely to produce effects widely different
from those which it was meant for. It is likely to turn
out an advantageous step, so far as the individual interest
of the Liberator is concerned. 'Three cases c ime to our
own immediate knowledge in the course of yesterday,
where persons who had subscribed but one pound towards
the O'CONNELL tribute, have, since his arrest became
known tie them, come forward with an additional contri-
bution off/ye pounds. It is in this way that O'CoNNELL's
enemies are serving him.— Waterford Chronicle.

. It is expected that the Scots Greys will oc-
cupy Pier hill barracks about the end of May or beginning
of June. This gallant corps attended his late Majesty,
GEORGE IV., when on his menial-able visit to Edinburgh ;
and there is every probability that they will have the ad-
ditional honour of iittending our " Sailor KING " when he
tnakes his tour through this country. Tke fl al Irish
Dragoons have been so orderly in their conduct, that they
are held in the highest esteem by the inhabitants, and
otglroute'' will be heard of with regret, it will
consideredhe it theirhappy circumstance Ly the Citizens, that
such a gallant corps are to be succeeded by our own
Countrymen, the Scots Greys.—Scotsman.

POST-OFFICE STEAM PACKETS.-A re-
turn has baen printed by order of Parliament, embracing
many particulars regarding the steam-packets, employed
on the Irish station, froM which it appears, that the
shortest voyage between Liverpool and Kingston, within
the last four years, the time comprehended in the return,
was completed in eleven hours and eleven minutes, and
that the longest occupied forty-five hours eight minutes)
each during the last year. There has been a decrease of
cabin passengers, from 1829 to 1830 of 719. Thelongest voyage between Holyhead and Nowt'', within the
five years has been—in 1817, twenty-five hours nine
minutes. The shortest, in 1826, five hours twenty-two
minutes. There has been an annual decrease of pas-
sengers; within the five years they have decreased 2,192,
and the falling off within the last year, as comparedwitl
1819, has been 406.