The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-06 00:00:00

standings are 4410we0 to contin e, and the Reformers,
instead of woclang.together,, ak o fall to splitting of
straws, the one seNon loakingN on the other with
distrust, it is evident that the result must be, the re-
seating of the Tories on the Treasury Bench, the
suspension of all improvement, and the renewal
of that hateful system of policy, which we have
been so long struggling, and made so many sacri-
fices, to root out. It was only last year that 1
Sir ROBERT PEEL candidly confessed that his
sole chance of maintaining his party in power lay in
the quarrels of the Reformers ; and if, unfortunately,
he should ever be replaced on the Ministerial bench,
it will be entirely owing to these same dissensions.
How absurd, then, in the Whigs and Radicals, with
this warning before their eyes, to persevere in a system
of mutual annoyance ! Is the triumph of Reform so
certain—so placed beyond all possibility of doubt—.
that combination is no longer necessary ? Is the
enemy so thoroughly discomfited, that the victorious
troops may be disbanded, and amuse their leisure by
squabbling with each other ? Alas ! the battle is yet
to be fought, and if the one party permits itself to
become disorganised, while the other is all union, dis-
cipline, and compactness, the result cannot be doubtful.
If ever there was a time when it was requisite, above
all things, that Reformers, giving up their petty points
of difference, should act together as one man, that time
is the present. With nearly three hundred Tories in
the House of Commons, and an overwhelming majo-
rity of them in the Lords—a Court doubtful, a back-
stairs influence, incessantly exerted against them—what
chance have they but in fraternization ? We have
been led to these remarks, first, by having observed at-
tempts made by certain Radicals to impugn the sin-
cerity of O'CONNELL ; and secondly, by a circum-
stance that took place the other day at the Halifax
Reform dinner, where a few very foolish Whigs insisted
on Mr. FERGUS O'CONNOR not being invited, and
the Radicals in revenge got up an opposition dinner.
We trust these petty squabbles will not be repeated.
They, do a thousand times more injury to the cause of
Reform than might be imagined from their frivolous
character ; for they impart confidence to the foes of
good Government, in the same proportion that they
dishearten its best friends.

The whole of the Paris Papers of Tuesday have
been received. The ridiculous note of the Duke of
MONTEBELLO to the Swiss Directory forms the prin-
cipal subject of remark in these journals. Our readers
may not have forgotten that at the commencement of
this squabble between the French Government and the
Directory, we denounced it as a scheme devised by
LOUIS PIIILIPPE, for diverting public attention
from a too close scrutiny of the intrigues carried on by
his agents in Spain. We see no reason to change
that opinion. Nay, we are convinced of its entire
justice. But it was a great oversight on the part of
the KING to entrust the management of such an ex-
ceedingly delicate affair to such a blundering diplo-
matist as the Dul7e of M ONTEBELLO. The arro-
gance of the French Ambassador is only equalled by
his want of temper; and in the weakness of his intel-
lect the world has ample security against the in-
fliction of evils dictated by a malevolent dispo-
sition. But be the result what it may, the KING
has succeeded in the main object of his crooked
Folicy. The Journals appear to overlook Spanish af-
fairs altogether, in their anxiety to make Europe ac-
quainted with all the particulars of the Swiss question.
As we shall speak of the Duke of MONTEBELLO'S
insolent note in another place, we will here content
ourselves with quoting the opinions expressed by the
French Journals concerning it :
It was hardly possible that any misunderstanding should
arise between France and Switzerland. Such, however, bay-
ing happened, and arising out of very slender causes, a rea-
sonablo hope might have been entertained of its speedy ar-
rangement ; but the tone and tenor of M. de Montebello's note
is not calculated to bring this about. On the contrary, there
lurks under that document a concealed threat, which is only
calculated to increase the irritation which exists; more espe-
cially when that threat is offered to a body composed of twenty-
two sovereignties, the majority of whose deputies have ap-
proved formally, in Diet assembled, of the very conduct which
has elicited the threat.—Temps.
The following words occur in the French Ambassador's note
to the Directory :—" The Helvetic independence is about to
sink under an internal tyranny. A faction composed of con-
flicting and varying elements has usurped, either in the public
opinion, or else in the minds of the public authorities, a pre-
ponderance which is fatal to the liberty of Switzerland."
By what right does the French Cabinet presume to criticise
the internal Government of Switzerland ? Did the writer of
this precious morsel of diplomacy conceive he was addressing
the Radicals of France ? And are we to break with a nation
because she is governed in this or that fashion ? In short, the
whole of the note is conceived in an entire spirit of folly and
want of common sense.—National.

In reference to that passage in the note in which the
Duke states that " France will show, without dis-
turbing the peace of the world, that she will never
suffer herself to be outraged with impunity," the same
Journal has the following pithy observation :
We shall be mistaken if Switzerland shall not equally de-
monstrate, that without in the least compromising the peace
of the world,' she will be able to make head against haughty
menaces, and to endure unflinchingly a measure which, if
it wound her, will inflict retributive injury on her adversary.
The Government papers have not a word to offer in
defence of the absurd conduct of the Ambassador.
The Journal des Debats is silent upon the affair, pro-
bably because it is collecting materials for a grand
attack upon the Diet. La Paix contents itself with a
statement of the probable results of the suspension of
a friendly intercourse between the two countries. Here
it is :

The interruption of the functions of the Chancellerie will
not produce the same bad effects upon the commercial inter-
course between the Swiss and French frontier departments, as
the blockade would have done; and it has this advantage, that
it will exercise a great and immediate influence upon the
middle classes of the Swiss citizens, whose interests by this
proceeding are most seriously injured ; for not only does tho
Clancellerie of France refuse to deliver all passports, but it
also refuses to affix the vise (certificate) which is necessary
before those who are in the receipt of renter viageres, or pen-
sions from France, can present their, documents or receive
their stipends.

So much for the opinions which reflecting men in
France entertain of the absurd and ridiculous menaces
which the Duke de MONTEBELLO has dared to give
expression to, in a note addressed to the Swiss Direc-
tory. The pitiful attempt to stir up disaffection in the
several Cantons, by refusing to grant the certificates ne-
cessary for the drawing of pensions in France, is worthy
alike of the CITIZEN KING and his representa-
tive. The trick, however—for it deserves no higher
name—has miserably failed, in consequence of a
resolution of the Grand Council to advance the pen-
sions so refused, out of the funds of the Republic,
rather than allow the whole weight of diplomatic ven-
geance to fall exclusively upon a few expatriated
Frenchmen. Nor does it appear that the menaces of
France have in the slightest degree disturbed the equa-
nimity of the Directory. The convocation of an ex-
traordinary Diet for the 17th of October is all that has
yet been resolved upon ; but lest France should look
Upon this step as an indication of fear, the Directory
has sent an order to the Swiss Charge d'Affaires at
Paris,
to break off all further intercourse with the
French Government. it would appear that this order
was delivered to Count MOLE on Monday, as it was
observed that the Swiss Ambassador was detained for
an unusually long time in the Foreign Office.
it is difficult to offeran opinion upon the ter-
mination of a
misunderstanding created by design, and
augmentation, liable to constant from the stupid arro-
gance of the agent of the aggressor, and the just in-
dignation of the
aggrieved. That Louis PHILIPPE
is personally opposed to pushing a
a dispute to extremi-
ties—which he designedly occasioned, with a view to
cloak his sinister policy towards Spain--
is, in our