The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-29 00:00:00

Utititta Ant

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1849.

The Insolvent Members' Bill has been disposed of,
at least for the time being. The attempt to im-
pose new and more stringent tests on the po-
pular representatives, to abridge the privileges of
the several constituencies, has been happily defeated.
The Hon. Member for Dartmouth was yesterday
compelled to withdraw the measure after a vain at-
tempt to obtain its re-committal, in order that many
extensive alterations might be introduced, which
would completely change its character, and
render it, if possible, more objectionable
I than it had previously been. No opportu-
nity was offered of discussing the merits of
the proposed alterations. It was even stated by
the Hon. Member for Northampton, that clauses
were proposed to be inserted in the Bill that had
been rejected by the Select Committee to which it
had been referred. The practice of introducing al-
most a new measure after a Bill has been considered
in Committee is one that should not be sanctioned
under any circumstances. Certain preliminary
stages must be gone through before the details
of any proposed enactment can be considered.
It is on the occasion of the second reading that the
principle is to be decided on, and if a new principle
be introduced at a later stage it is manifest that one
of the constitutional guarantees against hasty or in-
considerate legislation is completely set aside. In the
present case the Bill had been three times remodelled
—the discussion yesterday was the third, and we re-
joice to say the last time of asking. Its title had
been changed, nay, its very paternity was rendered
doubtful, the Solicitor-General being by many
considered the putative parent of the last Uantling, an
honour, however, which the Learned Gentleman most
earnestly disclaimed.
Although the Hon. Member for Dartmouth en-
deavoured to conceal his chagrin and disappointment
by moving for leave to bring in a new Bill on the
same subject, permission for which was accordingly
granted, we cannot but consider that the fate of the
measure has been finally sealed. The general dislike
to interfere so extensively with the undoubted pri-
vileges of the several constituencies was more ap-
parent yesterday than on any previous occasion.
The true character of the proposed enactment was at
length perceptible. It was discovered that if passed
into law its operation might be much more extensive
than had been supposed. It was not merely that
additional facilities might have been given to creditors
for enforcing payment from a very few persons who
made an unworthy use of their Parliamentary privi-
leges—no possible objection could have been made if
that would have been the only result ; but, as we have
already seer, many Members who could not by a possi-
. biiity suppose themselves within the meaningof the law,
might, and undoubtedly
would, have been subjected
to vexatious litigation,
It
‘awsas stated in the course of
the debate, that the shaft was pointed b
d against an indi-
vidual Member. We are, of
course,prompt ound
ex lto g.iv.t
e
deniedt
the most implicit credence to the
contradiction of Mr. MoFrATT, who
and
h pt he
was actuated by so unworthy a motive. does
a It
• however, follow that such feeling might not have
existed in some of those outside the walls of
Par-
liament, by whom the measure had been suggested,
and who had stimulated the llon. Gentleman during
its progress.
In the olden time, when rotten boroughs prevailed,
many persons undoubtedly found a sanctuary in Par-
liament from the claims of their creditors. When a
seat in the Legislature could be purchased almost in

the open market with perfect impunity, it might not
bo imprudent for a heavily encumbered debtor to ob-
tain
exemption trorn the long and cruel imprisonment
which the law formerly sanctioned by the sacrifice of
a sum which would have gone but a short way in
satisfying the demands of his several creditors.
Then, indeed, there might have been some foundation
for such a measure. Since the passing of the Re-
form Bill, and the extinction of the great majority of
nomination boroughs, that foundation has been in a
great degree, if not altogether, removed, and the in-
stances have become comparatively rare of persons
obtaining seats in Parliament merely as the means of
avoiding the payment of their just debts. The law of
debtor and creditor has also been mate-
rially altered. The recent policy has been
to extend the remedies against property
and to limit the power over the person. Now
Members of Parliament possess no peculiar privileges
with respect to property—their goods and chattels
may be seized under af. fa., and sold as readily as
those of any private persons ; their freehold estates
may be rendered liable for their judgment debts.
Their persons are alone protected, and that exemp-
tion from imprisonment for debt, that protection
from arrest, is not conceded for the benefit of them-
selves, but of those by whom they have
been elected. It is the privilege of the
constituencies and not of the Members.
That privilege has been attacked. In order that
half-a-dozen persons in embarrassed circumstances
might be excluded from the House, Parliament has
been required to pass a most stringent measure, by
which every Member who is unable to satisfy every
demand at a moment's notice may be excluded from
his seat, and driven into the Insolvent Court. Per-
sons perfectly solvent, and possessed of large surplus
properties beyond the amount of their liabilities,
may be subjected to the disgraceful and
annoying ordeal. The very fact of their
t.c.ing selected by their fellow-subjects to re-
present their wants and wishes in Parlia-
ment might induce political opponents to resort to
proceedings under the new law. The natural
result would be, that none but those possessed of
considerable wealth would be willing to subject
themselves to such a contingency. The moneyed
interest would attain the same predominance in the
House that was formerly exercised by landed pro-
prietors, and laws would consequently be enacted for
their especial benefit, and deeply injurious to the
industrious classes. The remedy would indeed
prove far worse than the disease it was intended to
cure.

It is just one week since Lord ABERDEEN, in the
course of his elaborate attack upon the policy adopted
by Lord l'AmaEasToie in the affairs of Lombardy and
Piedmont, making himself the mouthpiece of Austrian
prejudices, Austrian spite, and Austrian absolutism,
thought it decent to indulge in a virulent and vulgar
personal attack upon our ally the King of SARDINIA,
and taking the foul-mouthed RADETZBY as his
model, he " scolded" (we can find no more appropriate
term) at such a rate, and for such a time, that at last
his audience became doubtful whether the tongue
that thus played the braggart was not rather that
of an old woman than of an old man. The lapse
of one little week has been sufficient to show the
utter want of tact of Lord ABERDEEN and his com-
plete unfitness for the direction of the foreign policy
of this country. Not only did he personally attack that
Monarch with whom, should his Lordship ever again
be intrusted with the seals of the Foreign-office, he
may have to enter into diplomatic relations, but he
urged her MAJESTY'S Government to withdraw their
Minister from Turin, as a proof of their high disap-
proval of the conduct of the King of SARDINIA. The
intelligence received from Sardinia yesterday proves
the utter want of forethought, and of tact, and of
common prudence exhibited by Lord ABERDEEN.
CHARLES ALBERT has been, it appears, defeated,
and the French and British Ministers have pro-
ceeded to his camp to urge upon him
the necessity of consenting to terms of peace.
Under existing circumstances CHARLES ALBERT may
probably be inclined to listen to their overtures, and
to place himself in their hands, because he feels that
they are unprejudiced persons, and will do justice to
him as well as to his opponents ; but suppose my
Lord ABERDEEN had boon in office, Could CHARLES
ALBERT have safely trusted to his mediation, would
he not have been justified in refusing to listen to all
overtures made to him by the British Minister, whom
in those circumstances he could not but consider as
the agent of his personal enemy—always supposing
we had a British Minister at Turin—for it appears to
be one of the maxims of Lord ABERDEEN'S policy, in
the event of a war between two European Powers, to
recal our Minister from the Court of the Power which
it pleases his Lordship to consider is in the
wrong, and to leave British interests unwatched and
British subjects unprotected and exposed to all the
chances of war, because, forsooth, it pleases my Lord
ABERDEEN to disapprove—or rather, to be taught to
disapprove (for he never yet ventured to form an
opinion of his own)—of the diplomatic morality of
one of the belligerent parties. The result of the
adoption of Lord ABERDEEN'S recommendation
would have been the loss of the last chance for the
preservation of peace, and the sacrifice of British
interests and British property in the north of Italy,
and the withdrawal of British protection from all her
MAJESTY'S subjects located in that part of Europe.
Even if the King of SARDINIA were all that my Lord
ABERDEEN would fain have us believe, the conduct of
his Lordship would be not one whit the less deficient in
that tact which should be to a veteran diplomatist as
part of his being ; but is CHARLES ALBERT really
the monster he is represented to be by Marshal RA-
DETZKY, of whose coarse abuse and exaggerated mis-
representations my Lord ABERDEEN thought it decent
to be the retailer in the British Senate ? We think
not. With regard to the alleged treachery of
CHARLES ALBERT in attacking Lombardy last year,
the question lies in a nut-shell. It is averred by the
Italian Liberals that their native Princes were com-
pelled by Austria to exhibit themselves to their sub-
jects in the light of intolerant despots, that their sway
might appear even less eligible than that of their
Machiavellic task-masters. An opportunity offered to
shake off the degrading yoke and to retaliate upon the
oppressor, and CHARLES ALBERT, the near neighbour
of France, and threatened by the advancing movement,
preferred to draw his sword against his former tyrant
rather than against his own people. The occupiers of
Cracow will hardly gainsay the plea of political neces-
sity ; and whoever witnessed the burst of horror and
fury that followed the unprovoked cruelties and brutali-
ties of RADETZKY at Milan before the insurrection took
place, must admit that no human power could have
held Piedmont in the leash after those events had
once roused the population of Milan. But whatever
may be the opinions entertained on these points, it is
to the state of affairs as at present existing,
rather than to the state of affairs as
existing twelve months since, that a statesman
who wished fairly to appreciate the present conduct
of CHARLES ALBERT should direct his attention.
CHARLES ALBERT may have been an ambitious in-
vader in the year 1848, but the question we have
now to consider is, what has been the conduct of
Austria with regard to the mediation in 1849 ? For
the last two months the Plenipotentiaries of England
France, and Sardinia, have beers lounging about
Brussels, waiting for the presence of the Austrian
Minister. Austria, be it rernei nbered, accepted
the mediation, with, however, it would now appear
the mental reservation of carefully keeping away
from the conferences the Austrian .11..linister, the only
man who could give effect to them. He remains in
England, raising futile objections to ge Yin time. The
game that Austria was playing had lo: ng been patent
to every one. To exhaust the resource sof Piedmont
by her own army, and those of Lona bardy by the
army of RADETZIky, until both co- untries should
be like lifeless bodies at her feet, has been the
aim of the successive Government ; of Austria
since the day that the armistice was signed. The
Piedmontese People were perfectly aw: are of the ob-
ject Austria had in view, and urged • the KING to
renew the war, as the lesser of two evils. The Cabi-
net of Turin gave way to the wishes of the nation ;
and however much we may regret his sant of pru-
dence, it is impossible to deny to CHARY ,ES ALBERT
the praise due to a Prince of chivalrous co urage, who
voluntarily risks his life and his dominions in an un-
equal contest against a gigantic an k I unscru-
pulous foe, in order to rescue from the
most brutal oppression a province • which, in

happier times, had united its destinies to those
of Sardinia. While referring to the subject of

violation of the armistice, Lord ABERDEEN all-adt.cl
to the prolonged stay of the Sardinian squadron in
the Venetian waters as a justification of the conduct
of Austria in refusing to execute its conditions.
But the Sardinian squadron had long since taken
its departure, yet RADETZICY still kept the batter-
ing train of Piedmont at Peschiera. During the
course of the discussions, several allusions were made
to the notes purporting to be from Prince SCHWART-
ZENBURG, which have appeared in the public papers.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE considered those notes as
fabrications,and eloquently denounced the base plotters
that could resort to such degrading manceuvres in
order to mislead public opinion. We do not agree with
Lord LANSDOWNE in considering these notes as forge-
ries ; on the contrary, we believe them to be genuine,
and we consider their evident mendacity as an addi-
tional proof that they must have emanated from the Aus-
trian Chancery. Notwithstanding the denial of Prince
SCRWARTZENBURG, it is abundantly clear that Austria
in the month of June last proposed to give up posses-
sion of Lombardy—that fact is abundantly proved,
without any reference to the negotiations for a
mediation subsequently undertaken in London, by the
note addressed in the month of June last by the
Austrian Minister, Baron WESSEMBOURG, to the
Provisional Government of Milan—a note, the
authenticity of which is acknowledged by all parties,
and which completely proves that the assertions con-
tained in the notes of Prince SCHWARTZENBURG are
1 not only without foundation, but are absolutely con-
-1
trary to the truth. It is to be regretted that Austria
did not pursue the same course after the victories of
RADETEKY that she was inclined to pursue before the
honour of her armies had been vindicated. The
Lombards are now more averse to her rule than they,
ever were ; their friends and relations have been mur-
dered, their properties have been plundered, and their
feelings have been wantonly outraged by RADETZILY
and his Crustg, and it is to the hatred ex-
cited throughout Italy against the Austrian
name that we must attribute the deposition of the
POPE and of the Grand Duke of TUSCANY, whose
great crime was the refusal to join the great national
movement, and to declare war against Austria. Had
CHARLES ALBERT refused to lead the anti-Austrian
movement, he must have been sacrificed to it. To
lead it was his only chance of safety ; as it is he may
fall ; had he hung back he mut have fallen.
Vince the above was written we have received
intelligence of the defeat and abdication of CHARLES
ALBERT. The receipt of that intelligence does not
render it necessary for us to alter or modify in any
manner the opinions which we have expressed ; on the
contrary, it affords stronger proof, if stronger proof
were wanting, of the utter unfitness for the conduct
of public affairs of those who would at such a juncture
have recalled the British Minister from Turin.]

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF
THE ABDICATION OF CHARLES
ALBERT, KING OF SARDINIA.
In the sitting of the French National Assembly
yesterday, M. ODILON BARROT, the Prime Minister,
ascended the tribune and read the following im-
portant dispatches :

"NICE, MARCH 2t.
" The Consul of France to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs :

" CHARLES ALBERT, after having abdicated in
favour of the Duke of SAVOY, passed through Nice
on the 26th, at eleven in the morning, on his way to
France.

" The Piedmontese army has been beaten at
Novarra, but its honour is safe."
" TURIN, MARCH 25.
" The Minister of Franoe to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs—
" The army has been forced back to the mountains
of Biela and Borgo Manero. The Austrians occupy
Novarra, Vercelli, and Trino. The KING has abdi-
cated and fled. The Duke of SAVOY has not yet
written to Turin.

" The Government has requested Mr. ABER.
CROMBIE and me to apply for an armistice to cover
Turin. We have placed ourselves at its disposal•
Turin is tranqun, and everything is dispueed to re-

main."

Having read the dispatches M. ODILON BARROT
addressed the Assembly, and said that he felt it to be
his duty at once to declare that the French Govern-
ment was determined to preserve the integrity of
Piedmont.
The French journals of yesterday are principally
occupied by conjectures as to the probable results of
the battle of the 23d between the Piedmontese and
Austrians--conjectures which are rendered now of
no interest by the official communications made by
the President of the Council to the National Assembly.
It appears from the accounts in these papers that
Austria did not trust to arms alone to secure her
success against CHARLES ALBERT, gold also was em-
ployed, and his own officers were bribed to betray him.
The French papers state that a Colonel of Fusileers
has been shot for a conspiracy to deliver up CHARLES
ALBERT to the Austrians, and that General Remo-
RINO, who commanded the Lombard division, has
been arrested and shot in consequence of the disco-
very of his having been in treasonable communication
with RADETZRY.
The Reforme of yesterday states that some mer-
chants of Genoa had received intelligence that the
Russian fleet had passed the Bosphorus. This report,
however, needs confirmation.
The trials at Bourges appear drawing towards a
conclusion.
The Committee of the National Assembly of the
War Department has rejected the petition of M.
PIERRE BONAPARTE, Major in the Foreign Legion,
demanding to be admitted into a regiment of the line
with the same rank. The Committee of Finance has
rejected the proposition of M. PIERRE LEROUX for
the liquidation of one-sixth of the public debt by an
issue of paper money.
M. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE left Paris yesterday
for Madrid.
A letter from Toulon, of the 23d inst., in the Con-
stitutionnel, speaks of the arrival of troops. General
GUESWILLER has made Toulon his head-quarters.
The ambulance of the first division of the army of
the Alps had been fixed there. The steam-frigates in
the roads had received stores of all kinds, and eight
pieces of siege artillery had been embarked, so that
all was ready for departure on the first order
from Paris.
The POPE is about to create the Archbishop of
PARIS a Cardinal.
The cholera has been now in Paris for the last
twenty-one days. On the 7th inst. the first fatal
case occurred. During the next seventeen days,
from the 7th to the 23d inclusive, 161 deaths took
placo both in and out of tho civil and military hoe-
pitals. In 1832, on the seventeenth day after the
first appearance of the epidemy, no less than 7,000
persons died of it. The total number of cases to the
27th inst. is 383, and the deaths 180. The great
majority, if not the whole, of these cases were of
persons whose constitution had been previously en-
feebled by disease.
Coons AUTHENTIQUE.-PARIS, MARCH 28.-Five
per Cents., 85f. 40c. 30c. sc. 851. 85f. 10c. 85f. 84f. 90c.
85f. 80c. 85c. 85f. 84f. 90c. 85f. 10c. 15c. 85f. 10c. sc.
84f. 80c. 85f. 85f. 10c. 20c. 85f. 30c. 25c. 40c. 50c. 35c.
40c. 50c. 45c.; Three per Cents., 54f. 25c. 54f. 53f. 75c.
60c. 85c. 54f. 54f. sc. 53f. 90c. 80c. 54f. 54f. 25c. 30c.
25c. 40c. 541. 50c. 40c.; Bank Actions, 2,310 f. 2,3001.
2,295 f. 2,310 f. 2,300 f. 2,305 f. 23101. 2,3001.; Romans,
57k; Belgian Five per Cents., 1840, 89; ditto, New
Loan, 1842, 89; Ilaytian Loan, 240. Exchange on
London, one month, money, 25f. 22i-c.; three months,
money, 25f. 15c.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, Baum 28.
Boulogne and Amiens, 83/i - Namur and; Liege, 8 -
Northern of France, 34-Paris and Rouen, 203%-Sambre
and Meuse, 4-Rouen and Havre, 11-East Indian, 334-
Luxembourg, 2-Paris and Lyons, 31/2-Pari and Stras-
bourg, 41A-Tours and Nantes, 2%.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—To-MOZTOW closes the
performances at the Cirque National, Drury-lane
Theatre. It is rumoured that her Majesty, Prince
Albert, and the Royal Children will pay a farewell
visit to-morrow afternoon.

SKETCH OF THE BATTLE OF CHILLIANWALLA.—
Mr. Wyld has to-day published one of the most
rapidly and yet one of the most beautifully executed
of his battle sketches. It is moreover one of deplor-
able interest—representing the sanguinary encounter
of the armies under Lord Gough and Shere Singh,
between the banks of the Jhelum and the village of
Chillianwalla. The situation of the forces before
battle is vividly marked—the British in orange, the
Seikhs in green; and after battle—the British in red,
and the Seikhs in lemon. Every one will find in this
admirable sketch a clear delineation of the last of our
disastrous victories in the Punjaub ; and the correct-
ness of the engraving is assured by the circumstance
that it is copied from a drawing made in the camp of
Chillainwalla on the 29th of January, 1849, by
Captain E. Haythorne, of the 98th Regiment, Aide-
de-Camp to General Campbell—improved with addi-
tions by several other officers.