The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-16 00:00:00

1)e iL

WITH WHICH
THE " TRUE SUN " IS NOW
INCORPORATED.

LONDON :
THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 16, 18:38.

There was another debate in the House of Commons
last night on the Canada Indemnity Bill, and Dr. LusH-
INTON, the chief speaker, contended stoutly that Lord
DURHAM'S ordinances were in every respect legal, even to
the deportation to Bermuda. He even appealed to the
doubts of Sir WILLIAM FOLLETT ; and Sir WILLIAM, as
Mr. FINCH observed, went out of the House without
declaring that Dr. LUSHINGTGN'S interpretation of
the law was incorrect. Dr. Lustut4cToll referred
to the discordant opinions of legal men on the subject, and
came to the conclusion that Lord DURHAM'S conduct was
not illegal, and that if it were illegal, he was not liable to
blame for not knowing that about which the very highest
legal authorities differ. Now this statement has fully
convinced us of the propriety of the course we took,
and have all along taken, on this question, of discarding
wholly the consideration of the legality or illegality of the
ordinances, and judging of them only by their adaptation
to times and circumstances. We took that ground at
first, and well are we now justified for putting out of our
consideration that legality which the masters of the legal
art declare to he an unknown and unappreciable quantity.
This declaration of Dr. LUSHINGTON, and the general
aversion to the Bill evinced by the Liberal Members of the
House of Commons last night, makes us look back to the de-
bate in the House of Lords in the first instance, and there
we remember that the LORD CHANCELLOR gave an opinion
almost as strong as Dr. LustitswroN, in favour of the lega-
lity of Lord DURHAM'S conduct and of the ordinances.
The only point on which he doubted was that of Ber-
muda ; but that was not surely sufficient ground for
the Ministers, even after their defeat, to have accepted a
Bill of which they personally, and all their supporters, de-
clare an abhorrence. Lord MELBOURNE ought, we pre-
sume, to have stated that he disapproved of the Bill, that
be thought the error as to Bermuda a mere trifle, that he
would stand by the ordinances which he considered politic
and wise, in spite of any little technical defects, and that the
Peers must themselves take all the responsibility, and be liable
for all the consequonces of sending such a Bill to the House
of Commons: Lord MELBOURNE very unadvisedly, as we
now at least think, took a different course ; ho aceept.ed the
Bill of indemnity, as if Lard DURHAM had committed some
great offence, and undertook to have it supported
in the House of Commons. That was wrong ; but after
taking that step the next thing to he done was to make it
appear proper and wise if possible. The Ministers in the
House of Commons should, therefore, have held similar
language, and have adopted similar conduct to the Ministers
in the House of Lords.

duct of Lord linouGHAm, the Ministers. cannot be sur-
sed at his personal hostility, of whielt they Lave no right

complain.

We intinakd in The nof ye .terdAy that it was our
intenti9n io refer a second tittin to the subject of a petition,
casually mentioned by Lord BROUGHAM in the lliiuse of
Lords on Tuesday c‘cning, relative to the conduct of the
planters towards the emancipated Negroes in the West
Indies. It wits stated by his Lordship, that communica-
tions bad been made to him to the effect, that although the
Colonial Legislatures had voluntarily recognized the free-
dom of the coloured race, yet that, by the adoption of
,hat were termed " police regulations," the physical
condition of the Negroes was just as deplorable now
as it was seven years ago. No;v, it so happens
that we have received thi,i morning a letter from a CorieA-
poodent, worthy of tic most implicit credit, in which the
correctness of Lord BaonottaNt's statement is fully borne
out ; and consequently the necessity of closely attending
to the operation of the Emancipation Act in the West-
Indies, forcibly established. Tile following extract from
this letter will be perched by the Emancipationists, and
the people of England generally, with lively interest :

" The last packet has brought a very large amount of important in.
elligenc, from the Colonies in the shape of correspondence and news-
,,apers, which it will be quite impossible, in the short space of a letter, to
bring under your attention. The most important information, however,
tb'ained from these sources respects the laws which have been passed
by the Colonial Legislatures,-and the Courts of Policy in the West Indies,
in view of the termination of the apprenticeship. Barbadoes has pro.
duced five Acts—all of which have received the sanction of the Exe_
eutive, and are now in operation in that colony—which are designed to
coerce labour under a state of freedom, and, as much as wtssible, to
bring the enfranchised slaves under the tyranny of their old masters..
In British Guiana two ordinances, of a most stringent nature, have
passed the Court of Policy, viz., a Vagrant Act and a Police Act, the
enforcement of which will render freedom but a name. Other colonies
are following the example thus set them; and I am persuaded that,
tiniest some check can be interposed, we shall be swamped by all sorts
laws, to defeat us of the fruits of our victory.
" It appears to be of the utmost importance, first, that all laws and
ordinances passed in the Colonies should contain a suspending clause,
which would give time for their being carefully scrutinized at home,
previously to their going into operation as law. At present, themomeot
they receive the sanction of the Executive, however opposed they may
be to the newly-acquired rights of the negroes, they are law in
the Colonies, until disallowed by the Queen in Council. An
infinitude of mischief would be prevented by such an arrange.
ment as that which is now proposed. Second, That all Orders
in Council issued by the home Government, should be published in
the Gazette. In the papers arrived, there are several projects of law
For Jamaica, which, if matured, will be productive of the most mis-
chievous effects.

" One other point of importance is, whether the Government have
made up their minds to recognise the independence of Hayti ; and to repeal
the law which prevents that Power from commercial intercourse with
Jamaica? It is perfectly disgraceful that, after the recognition of the
South American republics, and the late recognition of the independence
of Hayti by France, the British Government should any longer hesitate
to perform this act of justice. The Jamaica merchants have memorialised
the Government on the subject, and are most anxious now that it should
be immediately done.
" In British Guiana, the name and memory of the martyred Smith is
still loaded with obloquy ; and it is recorded in the chronology of the
colony, as well as in its judicial records, that he was a convicted traitor,
sentenced to death for his crimes. Ought the memery of so good and
just a man to be thus stigmatized ? And cannot the foul slander be re-
moved?"

These disclosures will open the eyes of such of the
people of this country as believed that the Planters were
uninfluenced by their fears in responding to the call made
upon them by the Imperial Parliament. Still there is
nothing in the conduct of the Planters to create any strong
degree of astonishment in the public mind. It is not in
the nature of things that men should change the habits of
their lives in a moment, to mark their conversion to opi-
nions which they had never before ceased to repudiate.
The hand accustomed to wield the lash cannot in an instant
forget to grasp the instrument of torture. When clemency
was the order of the day, the Planters, like worldly-
minded men placed in a dangerous predicament, adopted
the policy of the multitude ; but now that the ferment has
appeared to subside, they try to recover the illicit gains
which they suppose themselves to have lost. They adopt
the policy of the hero of the old quatrain :
" When the Devil was sick
The Devil a saint would be,
But when the Devil grew well
The Devil a saint was he."

The slave abolitionists must therefore note carefully the
progress of events in the colonies, in order that the Negroes
may derive the benefit intended by the Legislature from
the Emancipation Act. Nor can a Legislature which has
done so much for the coloured race throughout the world
be indifferent to whatever affects the happiness of the Negro
population in any part of the dominions of her most gra-
cious Majesty Queen VICTORIA.

We perceive that Mr. P. THOMSON, on presenting some
returns last night in the House of Commons, gave notice
that he would next Session move for leave to bring in
another Bill relating to Trading Companies. The Hight
Honourable the President of the Board of Trade was
pleased to add that he was unable to understand why the
Bill which he had introduced into the House, and which it
had sanctioned, should have been rejected by the House of
Lords.
As to Mr. P. TiloNtsoN's intention to renew next Ses_
.sion the attempt which has been defeated in this, it occa-
sions in us no manner of surprise, for nothing is more com-
mon than for men to persist in error. But that he should
not be capable of comprehending the reasons why the
Lords should have thrown out his Bill, really gives us a
poorer opinion of his understanding than we were disposed
to entertain before.

One of the reasons at least, we think, is obvious to the
meanest capacity—and that is, that this Bill of his, besides
damping the spirit of wholesome enterprise, might be made
an engine of fraud, malignity, and persecution. Mr. THOM-
SON wishes that, in all joint-stock trading companies, each
individual shareholder should be responsible to the cre-
ditors of the company to the amount of his capital
.in-
vested, and be liable to be sued in courts of law. Now,
this may appear exceedingly plausible, and even carry
with it a considerable show of justice, but when it
is examined, it will be found utterly fallacious. It
would give no additional security to the creditor ; and were
the latter so disposed, he might bring actions at law against
individual proprietors, particularly the holders of small
shares, almost ad infinitum, far the purpose of heaping up
expense, and putting costs into the pocket of some petti-
fogging friend. What more responsibility is wanted
than a responsibility to the duly appointed officer or
manager of the company, which latter ought to be liable
to the creditors at large. This is the plan adopted in all
the incorporated gas and water companies—and what evil
Iris resulted from it ? On the contrary, has it not
proved extremely beneficial in every respect ? There
is not only no difficulty in recovering debts due
by these companies, but a great facility afforded
to the creditor, who has a just claim against them,
and who is actuated by an honest motive in bringing it
before a court of law. At the same (me, the individual
proprietors, while in fact equally liable, are completely
protected against the harassing attacks of private male-
volence or cupidity, and are therefore the more readily in-
duced to embark their capital in such trading enterprises
as cannot be effectually accomplished except through the
a2ency of a joint-stock company.
Let Mr. THOMSON, then, bring forward his Bill next
Session, if it so please him. We arc not in the least ap-
prehensive as to the result. We can tell him that he will
as surely be defeated then as he has been now.

In the House of Commons, however,-Lord JOHN Rus-
SELL spoke strongly against the Bill, alluded to the mo-
tives of the author of it, declared that if it were earlier in
the Session he would deal with it differently, and yet he
accepted it ; and, in oeposition as it now appears, by the
debate of last night, to the wishes and views of his own
supporters, passed .the Bill through the House of Cent-
mons. We do not wisl to say any thine harsh or un-
pleasant, but we are .bound to observe, that the Ministers
for their own credit should either have thrown the whole
responsibility of the measure on the author of it and
on the Peers, and have resisted it in the House of
Commons, or, after deciding to accept it, they should
not have questioned either the propriety of the measure
or the motives of him or of those who Ind urged it forward.
At present they are placed before the public in this posi-
tion : they decry a measure, and yet execute it—they abuse
Lord Bnouou.xm, mud yet do his bidding. They or their
ill-advised oreans, thAr petty-pensioned posts, saLirisl him
as Puck, or malign him as Mephistcphiles, and yet acknow-
ledge, by do'ng his bidding, that he is their supeior. We
are bound to say, as a caution to them, that we con-
sider this not politic ; and either they ought to hive resisted
Lord BROUGHAM'S Bill from beginning to end, or they ought
to caution their immediate organs not to add to the reasons
which Lord BROUGHAM has for his vigorous and successful
hostility. The more they decry him the less they appe:ir ;
for he, unfortunately for thetn--t bough not
irfiu-
ential as a Peer—has proved on two late w!casiens
that he has more influence over the Peers than
dude
h hade-
ve.
He defeated them on the Canada quete
feated the Loan CHANCELLOR. and Lord MELBOURNE,
who could only muster ten Peers—such is their Lordships'
confidence in Mr. POULETT THOMSON'S Bills—in support of a
measurewhieb they describe of great importance and advan-
tagetothe trading interests of the empire. Ifthey cannot hope
by newspaper attacks, whether verse or prose, to put an
end to Lord BROUGHAM'S superiority, it would be wise,
we think, to provoke him as little as possible.
We are the more bound to make these remarks, as we
have copied- from the .2lferning Chronicle—following our
vocation of impartial iournalists—a very bitter article
directed against Lord BROUGHAM, the taste and judgment
of which we have already condemned. Whatever objec-
tions calm and reflecting men may make to the political

In our columns of this day will be found a very curious
correspondence between the American Minister at the
Court of St. James, and Mr. O'CONNELL, relative to the cor-
rectness of the report of a speech of the Hon. and Learned
Member for Dublin, in which he is said to have charged
the American Ambassador with being a slave-breeder
and trafficker in slaves. The Ambassador asks, is a cer-
tain report of the speech to which he refers correct ? Mr'
O'CoNNELL answers, No. The Ambassalor replies in sub-
stance, " I am satisfied," and here Emit; tle correspon-
dence. Notwithstanding his virtuous ind;gnation, the
American 'Minister neither says that he is not a slave-breeder,
nor does Mr. O'CONNELL affect t;) believe him innocent of
such a crime ! Now, as the public has been appealed to in
this business, we call upon the American AmbassadOr to
sate plainly whether or not he is a slave-trafficker or
the owner of shlves? Is he, or is he not, a slave-owner ?
Let him answer this question, and we will b-2 satisfied.

Were " tl.e temporary keeper of a national edifice," as
the Honourable LEICESTER STANK OPE properly designates
the Dean of WESTMINSTER, to be regarded by foreigners
as the representative of the religious community—or the
community of taste in this country, we should indeed
blush for England. The name of BYRON is held as
sacred on the Continent as in his nat:ve country ;
men of all sects and parties in France and Ger-
many, and even classical Italy, regard the prototype
of " Childe Harold" as the most sublime poet of the age ;
the first modern sculptor considered himself fortunate in

P 111.: SUN, LONDON, TilthiSDAY, AUGUST 16, Is3B.

Laving been selected to transmit his likeness to posterity I
and with praiseworthy alacrity hastened the completion of
the Work ; yet the statue has lain neglected in this country
now for four years, because this " temporary keeper," with
his monkish conclave, will not admit it into the national
sanctuary for the illustrious dead. Not one feasible
argument has been urged for its rejection, and we can
account fur their conduct only in the same way that we
account for the treatment Bocch.cio received at the hands
of the Church .500 years ago—not because he Scoffed at
religion, but because 114 e scoffed at those who made religion
a trade. Some of the best men in this country have sub-
cribed to the monument ; infidels lie buried in this edifice,
.vhich they guard with such religious care ; and all but
these higott,cl religionists could make allowances for the
faneieis wid caprices of a race proverbially irritable, and above
.-.11 for the irrcgularities of a " mind sorely distresFeci," who
has conferred such honour on his native land. We b-
lkue no oil er cuss of men but those who urge what has
been urged as a plea for every enormity, would show such
tv:lnt of charity and such hostility even to the ashes of the
lead. To reason with such met is vain. Nothing
but the strong. arm of power can move them,
and. we can only hope that in this instance, as in
many others, good will c,lrle out of evil, and that by
next Session measures will be adopted, not only far throw-
;ng op.-r our cathedrals, but for depriving men, so far be-
hind the a•:2:e, of a discretionary power which the public
voice pronounces them unfit to use. It will be seen from
the Parliamentary report, that owing to the absence of
Members interested in the question, Mr. LEADER post-
poned his motion till next Session.

Wd regret to see that the Debtors' Schedules Bill, which
w .s introduced by Lord BROUGHAM, to relieve Newspapers
from the effect of an unjust clause in the Imprisonment for
Debt Abolition Bill, was at night withdrawn. We shall
r. turn to the subject to-morrow.

We are happy to learn, that it is the intention of Lord
PALMERSTON, during the recess, to employ all the power
of the Government in taking effectual measures against
the revival of the Slave Trade. Eagland alone is capable
the sustained energy necessary for the eradication from
among mankind of the curse of Slavery ; and on the zeal
of our Government we found our only certain hope of ulti-
mate success.

The whole of the French Journals of Tuesday have been
received, together with the Brussels Journals of the same
date. They bring no news, save the little contained in the
subjoined extracts :
Our letters from the Royal headquarters in Spain, which are now at
Onate, do not sp;:ak of any important event. Espartero was still
beyond the Ebro, without making any movement, but continuing to
augment his preparations for attack, which are already considerable.
General Maroto has transferred his head-quarters to Villa Mayor, which
is a little in advance of Estella.
Our letters from Madrid of the 6th, say that intelligence had just
been received there of the complete failures of the attempts made at
Paris' to contract a loan in the name of Christina's Government.
TouLos, Am 9—Travellers who have arrived this morning from
Dragnignan, say that a terrible fire has destroyed, in the space of 14
hours the immense forest of Esterel, between Antibes and Saint Tro-
pe.. This Forest was more than twelve leagues in extent, and fur-
nished pine and oak timber, both for trade and the public service. A
great part of it brlonged to the family of lourklain, the eldest son of
which is Prefect of Corsica. The cause of the disaster is not known.
Gazette de France.

The Grand Council of the canton of Thurgau is convoked for the
00th to deliberate on the demand of France. The deputy of the canton
in the Diet, M. Kern, is on the eve of quitting Lucerne, to go and plead
in the Cantonal Assembly, of which he is one of the most distinguished
Members, the same cause he so ably defended in the Diet.

- IlitusseLs, A uc. 14.--The Ostend Journal says, that it is likely the
iron railroad to Ostend will he quite finished by the end of the month,
at least as far as the glacis of the town. It has been resolved to erect
a colossal statue in marble of M. Rouppe, late Burgomaster of Brussels.
Tile HAGUE, AUG. 12.—We learn that his Majesty the King will go
to the camp at Ryen, at the beginning of next week.
• Aun. 14.—His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Prussia left The
Hague on the 12th, to return to Berlin.
His Majesty's brig the Smelheid, which accompanied the Bellona frigate,
on its voyage, and was obliged to put into the Cape of Good Hope, to
repair, arrived in the Texel on the 12th,
AMSTERDAM, AUG. 14.—We learn from Coblentz that the Leopold
steam-boat, which was sunk off Armanshausen, was got afloat on the
9th, after incredible efforts; it was to be taken to Roer to be repaired
the damage is not so great as was expected.
BRUSSELS, AUG. 13.—Yesterday a terrible accident occurred on the
iron railroad at Dindermonde. The train for Ghent, which left Ilrus..
sels at two o'clock, having got as far as Dindermonde, the steam engine
was taken off to get a supply of water, when it came to resume its
place at the head of the train it was done with so much impetuosity and
carelessness that three waggons and five chars-a-banes and diligences
were literally crushed by the violence of the shock. Happily, all the
passengers had not taken their seats. Thirty persons were more or less
severely injured ; a lady had her forehead cut operi all across,. others
I were thrown to a distance without injury.

. - -
Hamausion, Auo. 11.-There is no change today in theprices of
Foreign Funds. Since the arrival of the English mail a great 'deal of
wheat has been purchased at an advance of ten to fifteen dollars FrenCh.
The Echo de l'Este, of the 12th inst., states that on the 3d the fete of
the King of Prussia was celebrated by the garrison of Luxeinburg,
which comprises nearly 8,000 men, in a rather singular fashion. The
soldiers being completely relieved from duty on that day, crowded the
coffee-houses and taverns of the town, and after copious libations, those
of an entire battalion assembled, as if by enchantment, and traversed the
town singing the " Marseillaise hymn," and crying " Liberty for ever 1"
The few officers who came forward to put an end to the disorder were
ill.treated. As may be supposed, the cachots (black holes) were found on
the next day to be filled with the mutineers.
FRENCH FUNDS.-PARts, AUGUST 14.
Flue per gents., 1111 70c. 65c. 70e...
Four per Cents., 104 f.
Three per Cents: 81f. 80f.:930. •
Bank Actions, 2,%35f.
Itente de Naplis, C9f. 70c. 85c. 75c.
Roman Five per Cents., 101%
Spanish Actives, 22 22%.
Belgian Five per Cents., 104.
Belgian Three per Cents., 74f. sc.
Belgian Bank, 1,415 f.
Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents. 23% 23.
Hayttan Loan, 350 f.
EXCHANGR ON LONDON. •
One month, paper, 25f. 42%c.; money, 2!.f 40c
Three months, paper, 25f. 30c.; money, .:sf. 27%c.
LATEST PRICES.
Five per Cents. Illf. 70c.
Three per Cents., 81f. •
Bank Actions, 263.51.
Romans, 1014.
Belgian Loan, 1033 i.
Belgian Bank, 1,445 f.
Portuguese Three per Cents., 233(.
Spanish Actives, 22%.
Hsvtian Loan, 350.
DUTCH FUNDS.-AMSTERDAM, Atm 14.
Money. Bills.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent
Ditto, ditto 5 per cent. ..... 101 N. 102
A mort Syadic, 45 per cent. osh 95%
Ditto, ditto, 3% per cent. - -
Commercial Company, 4 , per cent ...... 165 166%
Ditto (1432 and ism 5 per cent.
Loan 1836, 4 per cent.
Ditto 1437, ti per cent. 99U f.93i
Exchange on London, One month l2 121
e Two months
BELO lAN U NDS-Bausset.s, Aua. 14.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent.
Rothschild's Loan, 51 er Cent. lOl%
Loan of Thirty ........... 91%
Loan c,f City, 1E332. 4 per Cent 9B*
Society of Commerce, 4 I-9per Cent 147
Rank of Belgium, 5 per Cent l4O
National Society . 126%
ftrusseis Papers, Aug. 14.
A USTRIAN FUNDS.-VIENNA, Ara. 6.
Five per Cents. Metalliques
Four per Cents,
Three per Cents.
Shares ..............
Zeitung. Aug. 11.

Letters from Constantinople of the 25th ult. announce
the arrival there of advices from Herat, which was still
besieged by the Persians under the immediate command of
the SCHAH. The British Ambassador, Mr. MiNEIL, find-
ing that his efforts to induce the SCHAH to raise the siege
were counteracted by the presence of a Russian Envoy,
who promised that if the siege was continued, he would
provide the besiegers with the assistance of a number of
Russian enAineers, demanded his passports, and withdrew
flom the Persian Court. He proceeded towards Tubrez,
intending, if not recalled by the SCHAII on the only condi-
tions upon which with honour he could return; to continue
his journey to the Turkish frontier. It was, however,
generally believed at Constantinople, that the SCHAH;
alarmed at the consequences of a misunderstanding with
England, wou!d raise the siege of Herat, and entreat the
return of Mr. M‘Ncit. to the Persian Court.

Without attaching more than a proper degree of impoi-
tance to this event, we cannot help. being struck with the
forcible manner in which it illustrates the insidious policy
of Russia. Whichever way we turn, there we are sure to
meet with evidences of her lust of dominion, or of her
hatred of liberty. In Turkey, in Egypt, in Persia, and in
Spain, her agents are equally clilig,:nt in the prosecution of
her fell purposes. For this evil a war with Russia is the
only remedy. Resuscitate Poland, establish her national
independence, and the intrigues of Russia will be no longer
dangerous to the peace of Europe and the liberties of
mankind.

PROROGATION

Letters and Papers from Madrid to the Bth instant,
have reached us this morning. On the sth, a courier from
ESPARTERO reached the capital at a late hour in the even-
him, with dispatches for the QUEEN and the President of
the Council. A Cabinet Council was summoned, which
sat till midnight, but though the despatches were supposed
to be favourable, in consequence of no change having taken
place in the Ministry, no part of their contents was suf-
fered to transpire. It ;las, h3wever,supposed that Messrs.
MoN and CASTRO, and perhaps M. LATRE, would resign,
in consequence of the violence with which they had been
assailed in ESPARTERO'S preceding despatches.
We hive no accounts of the slightest importance from
the theatre of war in Spain. AIUNAGORRI was.only await-
ing ESPARTERO'S attack on Estella, to enter Navarre.
General O'DONNELL bad orders to make a diversion in his
favour.