The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-26 00:00:00

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]

Anxious as we are for the preseration of the
peace of Europe, we cannot help at the same
time deeply lamenting that all hope of the inde-
pendence of Italy and Poland must vanish with
the abandonment of hostilities, and that the in-
fluence of the example of the regeneration of
Spain aad Portugal, on which the eyes of Europe
will be fixed, must still be balanced by the con-
tinuance in a state of degrading thraldom of so
many of the inhabitants of other countries, long-
ing for independence, and eager to avail them-
selves of the first opportunity for acquiring it.—
The Emperor Alexander, who holds the greatest
share for Poland, is known to be not a little
apprehensive with respect to that ill-fated
country, and it is generally supposed that much
of his apparent moderation in the case of Turkey
is ascribable to his dread of a Polish Revolution.
—How far such an apprehension is well or ill
founded, we have not the means of accurately
judging. All we can say is, that we wish from
the bottom of our hearts that it may not be
groundless ; for who would not wish to see that
fine country wrested from the grasp of its bar-
barous conquerors ? That the idea of indepen-
dence is still fondly cherished by the Polish
Gentry is a matter of notoriety. They do not
even seek to conceal their sentiments from the
Russians. They have submitted to the force
which mastered them, without ever recognizing
the title of their masters.

[BRITISH PRESS.]
We have learned on authority on N% hich we
can rely, that the Duke of Wellington expe-
rienced great difficulty in prevailing on the
Allied Sovereigns to abandon their determination
to invade the liberties of Spain. The firm and

dignified tone which he assumed was worthy, we
understand, of a-free and magnanimous people—
worthy also ;of the Representative of a Mo-
narch who rules over a generous and enlightened
nation. England, he assured them, would not
remain a passive spectator, if any foreign Power
should forcibly interfere in the concernsof Spain,
or attempt to dictate a form of government con-
trary to the will of the Spanish nation. This is
as it should be—this makes us exult in the
name of Englishmen. May Britain ever thus
stand forward to .protect the weak, to resist
" the oppressor's Wrong," and to speak defiance
to any confederacy that would crush the.nascent
liberties of an unoffending and independent
people !—We understand, likewise, that the
Ultras in Franco are highly indignant that their
malignant designs should be thus disappointed,
and• can hardly yet persuade themselves that war
will not take place. This is also as it ought to
be. To fret at the rising superiority of others is
envy's guilt, and its sharpest punishment.

[MORNING HERALD.]

If the French' Government has really deter-
mined, as we are so often told, to make war
;upon Spain,. its conduct seems quite chivalrous.
The leisure which it is allowing the Spaniards to
prepare for the encounter, reminds one of the
generosity of the English and French Guards at
the battle of Fontenoy, each yielding to the other,
with a coup de chapeau, the honour of the first coup
de feu. The last arrivals froM Paris do not in ap-
pearance bring us a whit nearer to the invasion. In-
deed, if any thing, the aspect of the Journals is such
as to appear rather receding from it. But upon
authorities so uncertain, which bear every analogy,
to a weathercock—except its usefulness—we shall
suggest no inference or probability. They still
" talk the matter"—if not " well," at least in-
defatigably ; and " Liberal," " Ultra," " Car-
bonarir " Radical," " Revolution," are ban-
died from party to party like so many shuttle-
cocks. It would appear, indeed, that these ma-
gical words had taken possession of their imagina-
tions so powerfully, that they write and dream of
nothing else. Like those potent word? of an an-
cient tragedy,, which so filled the heads of the Ab-
derites of old, that they uttered no other sounds
for several days. One' thing is observable, that
the Paris Opposition Journals press those of the
Ultra Ministerial side with somewhat more cou-
rage and_ vigour than usual. There are various
articles from the south of France and the Spanish
frontier, the chief interest of which is the
proof they supply
.b,ow little the Paris Jour-
nals are to be relined on. The Baron d'Eroles,
who had, according to them, resumed hosti-
lities and harrassed Mina in some dozen valleys
and mountains between Seo d'Urgel and the
French frontier,. was living, with many others of
his criminal, but unhappy followers, at Toulouse.
By the last accounts Minahad attacked the town
of Urgel, and after some sanguinary affairs with
the besieged, who made sorties from the Castle,
gained, and it appears desolated, all but this last
hold, or citadel, in which the insurgent garrison
still held out.