The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-18 00:00:00

THE REFORM BILL.

(FROM A CORRESrONDIENT.)
The Bill is a new one, exclaim its opponents ; the Bill
is a new one, echo the unthinking part of its supporters ;
how? when? Schedule A. professes to include all bo-
roughs whose population is below 2,000; does the exclu-
sion from schedule A. of Buckingham, which contains
3,465, alter schedule A., or confirm it ? Schedule B.
professes to include all boroughs which are above 2,000,
and below 4,000 ; does the exclusion of Truro, which,
reckoning St. Clement's and Kenwyn, has 11,239 ; and
of Tamworth, which has 7,285 ; and Westbury, with its
7,846 ;. and Morpeth, with its 4,431 itihabitants, alter
schedule 8., or confirm it? ,If the correction, not of the
schedules, for they do not require correction, but of the
names which have been erroneously included in the sche-
dules, do not make the Bill a new Bill—what does?
What other alteration do Ministers propose? But
they will tolerate an alteration, it said ! And who are to
make it? The opponents of Ministers ! The opponents
of Ministers cry out on the novelty which they must pro-
pose and carry, or it will not be proposed or carried at
all • They say, " Give us time to consider your. new
Bill ;" while, if it be a .new Bill, it must be
.their
new Bill. " You take us by surprise,' they cry—
" you offer us one measure for a second reading, and
another in Committee." Is this sheer stupidity, or
merely barefaced impudence ? " Who, Messieurs, offers
you another measure? Who ever talked of offering you
another ? , Ministers have only said, that, if you com-
pel them to accept of another, so long as the second does
not differ essentially from the first, they will not throw it
up. If you have a new Bill to discuss, its novelty must
be of your own making—what right, then, under Heaven,
have you to complain of it?" " But," exclaim the friends
of the Bill, "we have lost our rallying word; we have
no longer the Bill, and nothing but the Bill." "Softly !
If the alteration, which Ministers declare shall not in-
duce them to abandon the measure of Reform, had been
forced on them, would you, Gentlemen Reformers, have
said they did right in abandoning the ineasore on that
account ?" They might dissolve Parliament." " Doubt-
less, they migl:t ; but what say you to Ireland ? Could a
dissolution be resolved on, while Ireland is in its present
state, without serious:;, endangering interusts, wl;ieh
nothing short of absolute nkessity ought to induce a wise
Government to put in jeopardy ?" But—and this is more
to the purpose—what harm will accrue from keeping the
number of Parliament up to the old standard? What
powers of deliberation are possessed by 600 that are' not
possessed by 658 ? The rotten boroughs are to be disfran-
chised, the close boroughs are to be opened, the oligarchy
are to be pulled down, the people are to be exalted, in the
Bill, which the Ministers are willing to carry, equally as
in the Bill which they wish to carry. Nothing is lost to
freedom, nothing is gained to illiberality by the alteration.
If it win over a couple of amen of weak men who deem it
of importance, and a couple of dozen of shuffling men,
who seek, by its means, to cut a falling party, in peace's
name let not those, who are to profit by their desertion,
quarrel with 'such easy terms.—Morning Chronicle.

The inconvenience resulting from the stop-
page of the issue of half-sovereigns at the Bank is much
complained of in the city. If the quantity of silver is too
great compared with the ordinary demand for circulation,
it should be Melted down again into bunion, rather- than
force out an additional quantity to supply the pace of the
smaller gold coin. The profit derived from the present
high seignorage is quite sufficient to cover the expense of
the new process. It seems quite absurd that because a
quantity of silver, circulating much above its real value,
has been thrown back upon us by our colonies, for which
it was intended, the Bank is to take arbitrary means for
forcing it into the home circulation ! Why not, on
the same principle, enffer us to have double -sovereigns
only, instead of single ones, and compel us tn'tke making
payment of all lower amounts in silver? One mode would
being as reasonable as the other.— Morning Paper.
ta-
ttthe
ie
vr
sa"e cannot
t Reformito Tha
atvrßahiconstituteill, lnaditlitvs aeer sptpor ot
the
seeme vteheHinonocf the proposed a-
e to
i
House
dowfrtOco,pafrnd omrpeotpnrsei,nse
inas-
much
much as we suggested that very alteration soon after the
Bill was introduced into Parliament. The diminution of
the number of Members was one of the provisions of the
Bill to which we objected, on the ground that the present
'number was not too great for an asseml,ly intended to re-
present all the various interests and v?.rieties of opinion of
this great empire, and also bicausewe thought suet; dimi-
nution might operate as a precedent to further reductions
of the number, until the House 'should become More
like a Venetiisn Cduneil than a full'and popular represen-
tation of the CoMmons. of •Englarui.—Morning Herald.
SALE OF SHIPS OF WAR BY AUCTION.

—On Wednesday, pursuant to as order of the Commis.
sinners of the Navy, seven vessels of war were put up for
sale at the Navy Office, by what is termed " Dutch Auc-
tion," in the hall of the Navy Office, Somerset-house.
The Commissioners at the sale were, Sir ItonEar Se
',twos and Mr. DuNnAs. The prices obtained were—
the Hecla, put up at 3,0001., knocked down for 1,990/. ;
the Infernal, put up at 3;000/.,' sold for 1,910/. ; the
Camilla, set up at 1,2001, brought 1,100/. ; the Pan-
dora, put up at 1,500/. sold for 900/. The other ships
were not sold—they were thus put up and disposed of—.
the Sampson, put up at 3,500/., stopped at 2,500/. ; the
Camel, put up at .5,0001., stopped at 3,0001. ; and the
.1:), °thee, put up at 2,500/., set aside at 1,5001. The
whole sale did not occupy half an hour.

WROE, THE PROPHET, IN BRADFORD.—
The intention of this notorious impostor to preach in. the
Israelites' Chapel at Bradford, on Sunday last, had been
announced to the public by placards on the walls ; and at
the appointed time '(one o'clock) a great crowd of people
were collected at the place. The Prophet made his ap-
pearance, and commenced his harangue, but was inter-
rupted by a man who read from a newspaper an exposure
of his immoral conduct at Ashton and elsewhere. This
produced a violent commotion in the Chapel, which was
crowded, to excess (while hundreds remained on the
outside), and ,tbe profligate preacher was dragged out of
the place by the infuri,ted assembly-. He suffered every
species, of indignity. Ills heard was pulled off by hand-
fuls, and it was . witk extreme difficulty that he escaped
with life from the fury of the populace, and took refuge
in an adjoining house. This, however, did not prove an
asylum ; but after some of the windows of it had been
broken, he was escorted through a dense crowd of people,
by a number of police officers, to the' New Inn, from
whence he escaped in the course of the night. The weak,
simple, deluded followers of this false prophet are now re-
joicing that he has been thought worthy to suffer persecu-
tion " for righteousness sake."—Leeds Mercury.
The ,following dramatic novelties are an-
nounced for the, coming week evening the Adelphi
re-opens, where Messrs. Mamma and YA:r,zs have an-
nounced themselves "41t Home." The former will pre-
sent hie visiters with a second volume of his " Comic
Annual," adorned, as heretofore, with " new designs'
and "humourous cuts"—the latter with a inonopolologua.
intitled " Yates in Italy; or, the Handsome Bar.
maid," in which he will personate no less than nine chat
racters ; and both will assist in the last entertainment, a
Aiiapolologue, called " No. 26 and 27; or Nest-door
Neighbours !" in which they sustain eleven personations.
This evening, also, that excellent actress, Mrs. Gnovest,
tikes her beneOt ,at the Queen's Theatre, on which occa-
sion Madame •Ysnars will appear in two of her favourite
characters—as Julian, the page, in " .Duke fn. a Day,"
and Fanny Bolton, in " The Grenudier." Miss
guitav will also`appear in the former piece as Aline. At
Cogent-garden, to-morrow, will be revived MAsst,wrii's
pray.Cof The Maid of Honouni", in which Miss FANNY
KEmBLE will, . fur the first time, sustain the part ,of
Camiola. The play throughout is strongly cast. We
believe this play has not been performed since 178 when
it was reviver! at Drury-lane Theatre by the late ATV. P.
KEMELE. At the Surrey, this evening; a new drama will
he produced, called " The Bohemian Maher." On
Wednesday, the veteran ELLISTON will play Young Mea-
dows, in " The Deaf Lover ;" and on Thursday, SAeoap
in CUMBIRLAND'S comedy of " The Jew ;" and for
Sa-
turday, the anniversary of SHAKSPIARIeS birtb-day, a
;:
promised. Gran d
have f the event.ait
MS. play, which:be ,will shortly
eadetyini:
eGlia;iodi
irr cgitiym,:faijmi pt.
TaTr'►
entitled Te. .49

SPIRIT OF THIF. PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Treasury minute respecting the salaries of
the various Members of the Administration, which
:vas alluded to by Lord Grey on Friday, is expected
with some impatience. If rumour speak correctly,
this return will reflect the highest honour on th,?
present Administration. If a dedeetion of nearly
20,0001. a year shall be made from the pay of about
a dozen offices, we suppose the bitterest opponents
of 'the nnistry will allow them at least the praise
of disinterestedness. The Duke of Richmond and
Lord Durham have, it is understood, refused the
salaries of their respective offices. This, however
honourable, appears to us to be wrong in principle.
Sinecures should be unflinchingly cut away, bet an
efficient officer ought to receive an adequate remu-
neration for his services. Sir James Macdonald has
set an excellent example by giving up the salary of
his sinecure in the Privy Seal Office. We trust that
the other sinecurists in the same department (Mr.
Caries and Mr. Fane) will not be slow in imitating
the conduct of the Hon. Baronet. We hope, too,
to see some further instances of personal sacrifices
for the public good among the borough-proprietors
and those who hold under them. Mr. Hyde Vil-
liers and Mr. Hawkins have adopted the noble pre-
cedent of Mr. John Smith, Mr. Russell, and Sir
Sandford Graham; and, unless we are misinformed,
this evenin' will witness some further manifestations
of a generous preference of the nation's benefit to
heft r. dual interests.— Times.
We do not shut out from our observation the fact
Out considerable alarm has been expressed in VA-
rivarters, during the week just expired, respect-
ing the disposition of certain personages towards the
Reform Bill ; and likewise with regard to the ques-
tion whether his Majesty's Ministers possessed re-
solution enough to qualify them for a contest, not
with the King, but with the Court f necessary, se-
cure as they have a right to consider themselves of
the stanch, thoroughgoing, and unflinching adherence
of the whole British nation. 'We have treated with
disdain the gossip of intriguers who would avenge
themselves for their failure to poison their Royal'
Master's ear, with misrepresentations both of his
loyal subjects and of his upright and prudent Minis-
ters, by again misrepresenting to the people the en-
lightened sentiments arid honest coesistency of their
King. The Duke of Wellington, indeed, had on
sine grand occasion of his life a formidable task as-
signed to him—he had to fight his Catholic Relief
Bill against the prejudices of King and people, with
nothing but the Duke's own native firmness to rely
upon, and the confidence derived from truth and
justice,—allies of whose aid, in politics at least, it
argues a brave and powerful mind to estimate
the entire value. The Duke of 'Wellington, in
spire of all the opposition which We have
remed, and with no other assistance, carried tri-
umphantly the Bill of Catholic emancipation.
Lord Grey, on the other hand, has had his
i'tfajesty's full and formal permission to urcorn-
plish this great measure. He has with hint, beyond
dispute, and almost without so much as individual
dissent, the whole body of the English, Scotch,
and Irish rations, wroneht up to a pitch of eager-
ness and enthusia m of which there is no example
in modern times. Whence comes it, then, that any
thing like distrust or apprehension has shown itself
as to the success of the present Cabinet in consume
mating a work undertaken upon such high autho-
rity, and countenanced by a degree of encourage-
ment from the whole empire, so unanimous and
so perfrc•ly ? Can it be that Lord Grey,
es compered with the Duke of Wellington, does
ot inspire the same full conviction of his lofty,
firm, and inflexible purpose, to execute what (under
auspices so infinitely more favourable) his Lordship
115* attempted ? If this be the view which timid or
ill-informed men have taken of Lord Grey's cha-
racter, and of that of his colleagues, we do not
hesitate to express our belief that it will turn out to
be most fallacious and unjust. Our persuasion is, .
and we do not speak at random, that Ministers wilt
be found to act in a spirit of manly and unsullied
good' faith ;—that they will maintain untouched and
in its purity, the great principle of substituting a
real for a nominal representation of the people of
England ;—that they will not lend themselves to
any wretched system of party partiality, although
their political enemies, themselves the paramount
iebbers of the country, have accused them of it, or
to any false and mischievous plan for setting up
one class or interest of society to the detriment of
another. If the principle of the Bill- was to enfran-
chise or disfranchise boroughs accor,ling to their
real population, and if the returns have proved in
some few cases to be incorrect, it is no departure
from ..he principle, but au homage to it, that the be-
nefit of a more err yet return should be given to a
place which had suffered by a false one, provided
that in no instance shall a rotten or close borough
have that which the measure, as originally an-
nounced to Parliament, would have denied to
a right of representation. If Parliament should de-
cide, which we trust it will not, that the gross num-
bers composing the House of Commons shall not he
at all diminished, we feel satisfied that Ministers, in
filling up the vacancies created by the disfratichi,e-
meta of worthless boroughs, will proceed through-
out upon the predominant principle of the Bill, and
divide between the agricultural and commercial
irverest the extended rights which must then be
brought into operation, as well as in the selection of
'mew towns or districts for the return of Members to
Parliament, be governed by a regard to populatioo-
in s-signing the right to representatives, and by pro-
perty in distributing the votes. We repeat, arid a
few hours must now put the justice of our anticipa-
tion in evidence, that Ministers are honest, stanch,
and resolute; and, backed as they are by the King
and by the people of England, will bring this vast
struggle to an honourable ;tad happy re:ult. So
confident are we of the result, that our anxiety has
ceased, and, in the words of the poet,
" We await the issue in repose."-- Tinies.

We will not occupy the time of our readers with
any further notice of the various rumours respecting
the inclinations of their Majesties as to the Reform
Bill. The Windsor Express, from which we give
an extract, returns to the subject of the intrigues at
'Windsor ; but the article is written in ignorance of
the letter from Mr. Legh, in the Chronicle of Satur-
day. We, of course, cannot know his Majesty's
thought;; but we know how he ought to act; and
we think we are tolerably certain of the manner in
which the Ministry of Earl Grey will act, if they do
not find themselves properly supported. Lord Grey
is not the man to hold office one moment longer than
he possesses the full confidence of the King. We
ive the declaration of the Ministers th..t they will
~at depart from the principle of the Bill. This im-
plies that they are determined to adopt whatever
measure is necessary to give effect to their resolu-
tion. If they are not allowed to do this, they have
only to throw themselves on the country; and on
their heads who force them to this step, be the re-
sponsibility of all to which it may lead. No Mi-
nistry, formed on the principle of cheating the nation
out of reel 1 teform, by giving a pretended Reform,
more acceptable to the oligarchy, could hold to-
gether a single week.--,-Morning Chronicle.
It is confidently stated that, after denouncing, in
common with his coadjutvrs, all Reform beyond the
paltry, mendacious, and pitiful system of punishingglimongering, from
the luckless bunglers borou
time to time detected in the manour, Sri R. Peelrn
means to produce some scheme of his own, in the
hope of supplanting Lord John Russell's ineasure.
The Ex-Minister has, cut and dry, his usual coMmon-
pia,ces of yielding to the decided sense of the people,
arid his inability (Heaven calm his uneasy con-
4cience !) to defend the gross venality and corrup-
tion which, of course, according to his plausible
ritual, he would be the last man to screen. So far
we may predict the language he will employ, but by
what process of smooth and sinuous dexterity he is
to approach the vices of the system, or by what
wetly Of operation he is to remote the gangrene
irom the Con•titution rv:! cannot divine. At al!