The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-30 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF` THE PUBLIC JOURNALS

produce
proceedings in the House of Commons last night will
common
a very great. sensation throughout the country. In
a with all who sincerely wish that our policy towards
.Irnreel
end should be governed by higher principles than subser-
v
Should feel that their first consideration ought to he the pro-
motion of the prosperity' of that interesting portion of the
empire,the we felt grieved at what we considered a departure on
part of the Tories from the marked indications of a return
to a more enlarged system, and conceived that Lord John
dis-
cussion was only too much justified in announcing, in the dis-
fear On
Sir Thomas Acland's motion, that he should hence-
be „ view any overtures of a more liberal complexion held out
the Tories as a snare. Notwithstanding the very sus-
Plc, io,tis circumstances in which that motion appeared to
°Jelge.nate, we will frankly confess that the speech of Sir Robt.
ii; 1 last night went far to convince us that the Duke of Wel-
lington and himself are really, in good earnest, desirous of
butting an end to the system by which Ireland has hitherto
been sacrificed to party conflicts. We are not sure that the
explanation given by the Right lion. Baronet of the motives
u• which the pat ty were led to bring forward the motion re_
s
r:eting Appropriation was altogether satisfactory ; but. both
s, Right Hon. Gentleman arid the Duke of Wellington have
i
a tr difficulties, for which allowance ought to be male ; and
wihen we find Sir Robert Peel etating, as he did, most dis-
tinctly and unequivocally, principles honourable to himself
ta,ne o the more respectable poi tion of the party which he and
21 Duke of Wellington represent, and which, if acted on,
'inst , above all things, conduce to local the wounds of the sis-
ter kingdom, we conceive that we should not be justified in re-
fusinge to the Right Honourable Gentleman fall credence
°l, honesty of intention. We will not be instrumental to the
narrow policy of attempting to close to political opponents all
i,, retreat Sir Loom principles which they no longer wish to maintain.
Ifßobert Peel tells us that " he foresees the coming- ne-
cessity of settling the question of the Irish Municipal Bill—
if he foresee a the necessity of granting corporations to Ireland
--if he foresses the great expediency of granting them"—if
he tells us that "ho ought not to withhold the views and in-
tentions of himself and those with whom he acts from the Ad-
tninistration, but frankly to state them, and give them, and
felve the Government an opportunity, if they should so think
141 to acquiesce in them," we think that the language of sus-
Pieion and distrust would be misplaced, and that the great ins
`e res!s at issue demand that he should be met in the same
st)irit of liberality. We are sure that the men of moderate
views
and sound judgments, the impartial arbitrators between
, c,e disputlng rartits on both sides, to whom Sir Ro-
ob_rti referred as being desirous of the adjustment
anlyt these c,uestions, and as being prepared to approve of
fa ...,(ttempt, by whemso-ever made, to adjust them upon satis-
RigiirLYHPr ncip'cs, will applaud both the advances made by the
b, s on. B ironet, and .the spirit with which they were met
..Y. Lord John Russell, who congratulated the House upon the
spirit and the manner is which that Right Hon. Baronet had
fulfilled fse pledges which he bad given the other night. In
the praiseworthy conduct of Sir Robert on this occasion our
" °tights were carried beck to a somewhat similar exhibition at
the timer of conceding the Catholic Relief Bill ; and we now
eel, as we then felt, desirous to avoid mixing anything like
taunt or reproach with our approbation of the manly and ge-
nerous advance made towards a settlement of the leading ques-
.;l°ns which have been the fruitful cause of so much strife and bit-
„erness. Our opinions remain unchanged with respect to the ap-
tr°Ptiation question ; fur we cannot forget that the first consi-
deration ought to be the moral and religious improvement of the
People by whom a Church is supported ; but whilst no practical
pod warfare to e gained at the present motnent
towsy carto ing on a fruit-
-I,ss on that point, we consent aive it, in the hope
<2. the greater good which will be effected by the approxima-
tion of parties to a more liberal and healing policy. The
eyndhurst faction will probably abuse the Right Honourable
• Baronet. ; and, indeed, his language last night tells us that lie
1' well aware that he has more to dread from the bigots and
zealots of his own party than front his opponents. "He was
c' )"ent he. said, " that though there might be dissatisfac-
tiono expressed upon the one hand, as to the extent of the eon-
ieePie'n he was willing to make, so dissatisfaction might be
it and expressed upon the other as to the nigga.relly nature
of concessions." Without committing ourselves to an
~,
-"Pi:nion on the whole of the particulars on which he entered,
We can have no hesitation in declaring that we approve
Zf the spirit in which they appeared to originate ; and if
e Right Honourable Baronet did not fear to see the
bigots of' his own party at defiance, so we shall not be
sound among those who refuse their approbation to a
political opponent from a distrust that he may not continue to
deserve it, and meet him only with suspicion and doubt.
With the former we of course never can have any sympathy,
and we hesitate not to cider from the latter en an occasion
which challenges a generous response rather than a cautious
.• kepticism. So much we have deemed it our duty to state on
obis. this very critical occasion. That the factious spirits who have
sought to make Ireland a stalking horse for their ambition,
s ' who can only exist in political storms, and who are now busied,
*n an assembly which we will not name, at the;r dirty work,
will see in the overtures of Sir Robert Peel and the Duke the
•• destruction of their guilty hopes, and seek to frustrate the work
It- of pacification, we are prepared to believe. From Lyndhurst,
nd men who with more character to lose than Lyndhurst
ever had, but who have manifested equal recklessness,
ever
wise and moderate of all parties must prepare for un-
-"nlpromising hostility. From that violent section of
the
party who were so much gratified by the exertions
(4. Lord Lyndhurst, because he had no scruples, and
Was ready to go all lengths for them, to do their bidding what-
ever it might be, Sir Robert Peel and the Duke have fairly
Parted
compan. Lor John Russell did not hesitate to in-
„, in the moyst favourable anticipations from the views ex-
.. Pressed by Sir Robert Peel. He drew a vivid picture of the
i: evils inflicted on Ireland by the constant agitation in which it
Was kept by having so many great questions unsettled. He
Tade a distinction between approving of a principle, and per-
, .inaciously determining to attempt to give it effect. without
,i having the means of doing so. Thus, for instance, Ministers
I)3' not pressing appropriation do toot renounce the principle.
Mr. Shaw last night spoke as if Ministers had come to the re-
solution of appropriation, not
giving tils the principle of
because it was unattainable, but because it was bad in itself.; but
what did Lord J. Russell reply ? r. 1 fully adhere to the opinions I
have repeatedly expressed, and the reason why we have not intro
duced into the present Bill a clause founded upon them is,
simply, that we did not think we could carry it. If I believed
that we stood any chance of carrying the principle of appro-
priation, I would propose it to-morrow ; but we leave given
:,- way because we were most anxious not to do anything which
Would postpone or prevent the accomplishment of what in itself
is a considerable good." And this is the grent difference be-
tween embracing sound and unsound principles. To fail to
• „Five effect to gcod principles is a negation of good, but every
°ad principle acted on leads to positive evil. The appropria-
tion of the revenues of a Church, the ministration of which
tan three provinces is not required by the people, to the moral
tad religious improvement of that people, would no doubt be
.--' a.. great good; but the practical politician hes to consider wile-
„. ther that good may not be purchased at too dear a rate, when
the price to be paid for it is the sacrifice of the peace, and con-
legnently the welfare of the kingdom, by the perpetuation of
agitation. Mr. Ward avowed his firm adherence to the
appropriation clause, and undertook to divide the House upon
LI" question, even if he stood alone. He seemed to forget
that Lord John Russell is just as strongly attached to the
Principle as he is, the only difference being, that Lord John
5 2‘4lagell will not idly erect it as an obstacle to the accomplish-
/tient of what is even valuable withent it. His Lordship lest
, . /light spoke as follows respecting the opinion of Earl Grey,
flat, hovvever excellent the principle of appropriotion might
~: be, it would not be nossible to procure its adoption. " When
I pressed upon Lord Grey, as I frequently did that any set-
tlement of the Irish Church would be unsatisfactory unless
' It Portion of its revenues were devoted to general education,
..
I was assured by him that, though he did not differ from
Site, I should hot be able to carry it into effect. I must
"fess that he was right, and that I was mistaken as
.. , to the practical result ; and although I am obliged to
•• admit it, and although I shall most •justly incur re-
Proaehes, because I was favourable to it, I can assert
s , 'With perfect sincerity that I was attached to it from
no other motive than that I believed it would promote the
Rood of my country." Cheers from all sides testified the uni-
versal credence obtained by this simple and unaffected asseve-
ration. The shape in which the subject was brought before
the House was the motion of Lord John Russell that the
Speaker leave the Chair, with a view to the committal of the
Irish Municipal Corporations Bill. Near the outset of his
•• !Peech Sir Robert Peel at orce acknowledged it to be incum-
sei nent upon him not to deal in vague generalities on the ques-
tion, but frankly to inform the Government of the nature of the
Insdifications he proposed—where he meant to give an uncorn-
.. . Prornisiug resistance and where to tender a ready acquiescence.
He laid it down as apposition that the Irish Poor-law was va-
luable', not merely because it was the commencement of a ne-
. eessary system of relief, but because it afforded the best test
] °f qualification for the Irish constituency ; and he did not
'neglect the opportunity of bestowing severe chastisement upon
lhose who, in the other House of Parliament, had obstinately
tae
-, en part against a measure, certainly not perfect, but estab-
1,
• "sning a practical system, the defects of which as they became ap-
.., Parent could without difficulty be remedied. After stating his
assent to the proposed resolution of Ministers for converting
tithes into arent charge without redemption,and After adverting
•: to some minor points, Sir Robert Peel proceeded to the con-
aideration of the Municipal Bill, the provisions of which he
'went through in detail, admitting that the Corporations in
.Schedules A and B ought to 'be preserved and reformed,
-- , While with respect to the towns in Schedule Che was willing
that they should be allowed charters on the petition of the
.. major part of the elective body, whenever that elective body
exceeded one hundred householders of 10/. per annum, as
•aseertained by the rating to the poor. Lord John Russell's
` s 'reception of the overture of the Right lion. Baronet we have
already noticed. Mr. O'Connell also bore willing testimony
to the tone and temper of the Leader of the Opposition, but
'-• !le insisted strongly that the effect of the Poor-law for Ire-
land, and of re sulatin
resent
the elective franchise by it, would be
, - to diminish the pnt constituency most materially. Thus
we have now a fair chance that a Liberal Ministry will be able
to carry into effect three most important measures for the im-
lproaement of the social condition of Ireland.—Morning
Chronicle.
The interesting report of last night's Parliamentary pro-
cetliogs holds out to the country some reasonable prospect
thatt, the questions which for some years past have been so
brought` iaputed with regard to Ire-land may, ere long, be
e to a peaceful conclusion, without a serious sacrifice of
Lkthose great principles upon which our Protestant Church
. ,"as been' esteblished, and our constitutional monarchy up-
-I:eid. In a frank, enlightened, manly, and most conciliatory
s.- - -Pee* Sir Robert Peel announced to the House of Com-
" :11"5,. so far as lie could do without entering upon minute
, details, the nature cf the concessions which he was disposed