The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—I should not have trespassed upon your valuable
columns, had any one more capable than myself taken up
the cudgels in defence of a class of individuals who have
been most grossly libelled by his Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington, in a speech of his in his piece the other evening,
during the debate caused by Lord Wharneliffe's motion.
The principal argument urged by the Noble Duke against
the Ministerial reform Bill was, I understand, founded
upon the circumstance that it would transfer the elective
franchise. from the hands.of those Lords and Gentlemed
who have so long used to illustrate that "olden rule, " that
a man may do as he wills with his own," and with other
people's too, according to the reading of a Noble Marquis,
into the hands of a class of individuals whose humble ad-
vocate I am—the shopkeepers of the United Kingdom.
Whether his Grace intended to use the term " shopkeepers"
invidiously or not I shall not stop to inquire; be that as
it may, it must be applicable to all connected with trade
and manufactures, from the merchant and banker of the
metropolis, to the humble, but honest and independent
artizan of Birmingham. It is acknowledged upon all hands
that the wealth and prosperity of England has long, and
still continues to be, based upon its commerce and manu-
factures. Who are, then, these shopkeepers whom his
Grace thinks so unfit for the trust which the Constitution
intended to repose in them, but the persons upon whose
individual and collective exertions the very existence of our
beloved country depends? Are they not, I ask, as layal,
as patriotic, and as enlightened a class as any of his Ma-
jesty's subjects, not even excepting the aristoci acy of the
realm ? Even the Noble Duke must admit this. Oh !
but says Lis Grace, the aristocracy who now nominates,
and consequently return, a majority of the Commons
House of Parliament, have a much greater stake in the
preservation of order and the general welfare of the country
than cin be expected to be possessed by shopkeepers. If,
Mr. Editor, l.is Grace fancies that be has a greater stake
in the preservation of public order than the humble in-
dividual who now addresses you, because he possesses a
greater number of acres, I tell him most unhesitatingly
that his conclusion is as fallacious as his reasoning. Have
not I, in common with the great and influential class
whose cause I have espoused, as great an interest in the
prevention of anarchy and confusion when I look at my
domestic circle, whose wants can only be supplied by the
maintenance of that public order and confi fence which his
Grace would imply we as a body are leagued to break, or at
least indifferent to ? Does he fancy that my little property
is less valuable to me than his Princely acres are to himself?
Without fear of contradiction I assert that the middle
classes have many stronger incentives to loyalty than can
be found amongst those who fill the higher stations in,
society. If we examine this question, it. will for the most
part be found that avarice is the prevailing incitement
among the boroughmongers, whilst on the contrary, sen-
timents, which, I fear, are not very common among them,
form the main inducements existing in the breast of the
slandered class, and sentiments which operate more strongly,
more nobly than any other—conjugal and parental affection,
and patriotism untainted by courtly intrigue. I think his
Grace will not gain much by the comparing the aristocracy
with the middle classes. I claim for the latter a very
great superiority in general information upon all affairs
connected with the welfare of the kingdom, and a much
larger proportion of that rather scarce, and consequently
valuable, article—common sense. His Grace, in common
with the party who look up to him as their leader, denies
that the Constitution ever intended to intrust the elective
franchise in the hands of the commonalty, and with their
usual sagacity finding every thing in the shape of argu-
ment opposed to their interested view of the case, en-
deavour to mystify the subject, and utter so many absur-
dities, that the public are left in the same predicament
which they must find themselves placed in at the conclu-
sion of one of their declamatory harangues, of really not
knowing what they have been talking about. This pain-
ful state of things appears to have been observed by a
Morning Journal warmly espousing their falling cause,
and the Editor, after taxing our truly British Premier
with gross ignorance in stating that representation and not
nomination was intended try the Constitution, goes on to
observe—" That which the British Constitution has esta-
blished, and requires continually and unchangeably to exist is,
the due balance or harmonious combination in the State, of
the monarchical, the aristocratical, and popular powers, and
whatever mode of caring together the House of Commons
serves to perpetuate this balance is constitutional, and
whatever threatens to disturb it is revolutionary." Now,
Mr. Editor, if I know any thing of the subject, there is
not one word of this paragraph which would not most
readily be subscribed to by every rational Reformer. This
is the only attempt which I have ever met with at putting
their arguments into a tangible form ; and the desperate
shift to which they are driven may be easily perceived
from the circumstance, that their argument tells with all
its force against themselves. Where, I ask, is the "due
balance, the harmonious combination" in the present state
of things ? They must be grossly ignorant of the history
of the past, who do not know that the just prerogative of
the Monarch has often been at least crippled by the in-
fluence of the boroughmongers ; and as to the popular
power, where does that exist ? Certainly not in the House
of Commons. The opponents of Reform cannot mean
to insult our understandings by telling us that the 65S
gentlemen who meet in St. Stephens' are the popular
power, or the representatives of that power, when it is a
notorious fact that the majority of that House are the re-
presentatives of the aristocracy. The undeniable fact is
this—the aristocracy elect the House of Commons, fur a
majority is equivalent to the whole. The aristocracy reign
unrivalled in the House of Lords, and the aristocracy can
controul the Monarch in any attempt he may wish to make
towards the ameliorating the condition of his people. Is
this a " due balance—an harmonious combination ?" Is
it not rather discord'a..d preponderance with a vengeance?
If the aristocracy must influence the choice of the people,
let it be by such a line of conduct as shall prove they
identify themselves with'ilie happiness and prosperity of
the whole, especially of the different neighbourhoods in
which they reside, and they will find a much stronger
hold upon the affections of every Briton than they will
obtain by insulting their common sense in returning two
Members to Parliament to sit for a green mound, and then
call them representatives of the people ; by pensioning their
retainer', to the nineteenth generation, upon an over-
burthened, but loyal nation ; or by ejecting honest, in-
dustrious, and free-born Englishmen, with their wives and
families, from their homes, for the crime of having exer-
cised the right which even the present defective state of
the representation has given him, with as little compunc-
tion as would be felt in kicking a dog out of a Noble
Marquis's drawing-room. Is this the " harmonious com-
bination, the due balance," of which the Morning Post
boasts? In conclusion, let me entreat the Noble Duke
whose name has been connected with so tnany of his
country's most glorious triumphs, not to sully his fame
by leading the forlorn hope of a band of selfish borough-
mongers, who talk about the Constitution teeing in danger
when every one knows they mean their pockets, in oppo-
sition to the " British nation, with their Sovereign at
their betel." Apologising for having so trepassed upon
your valuable columns,

I am, Mr. Editor, your obedient servant,
April 2, 1831. A SHOPKEEPER.

POLAR CIRCLE : CAPTAIN Ross.--We
have received intelligence that the E•quimaux have not
this season visited any of the Hu.lson Iby set,kmtnts ;
and the fact cannot but be considered interesting with re-
ference to Captain Ross's Expedition. It is to be pre-
sumed that had these people !alien in either with our en-
terprising countryman, or the wreck of his vessel, they
would waive their usual journey, having through these
means secured their supplies ; but at all events the pro-
bability is that Captain Ross had pined the main land,
though up till last winter he had not been able to pass it.
,Literary Gazette.

PROM THE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT.

Whitehall, April 4, 1&11.
The King has been pleased to constitute and appoint Sir Henry
Brook Parnell, Bart., to be his Majesty's Secretary at War.

War Office, April 4, MI,
2d Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Lieut. F. C. Griffiths to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Davies, who retires; Cornet W.
Brandling to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Griffiths; R.
Dann, Gent. to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Brandling, April 5.
2d Regiment of Dragoons—Cornet St. V. W. Ricketts to be
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Craufurd, promoted, April 5.
4th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Assistant-Surgeon J.
Graves, from the 38th Foot, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice F. G.
Walbran, who retires upon half-pay of the 48th Foot, April 5.
9th Light Dragoons—Cornet and Adjutant R. Cooke to have
the rank of Lieutenant, April 5.
17th Light Dragoons—F. J. Parry, Gent. to be Cornet, by pur-
chase, vice Walker, who retires, April 5.
12th Regiment of Foot—Lieut. H. F. Gold to be Captain, by pur-
chase, vice Prideaux, promoted ; Ensign F. Bell to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Gold; J. L. Philipps, Gent. to be En-
sign, by purchase, vice Bell, April 5.
25th Foot—Gent. Cadet C. R. Knight, from the Royal Military
College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Lomax, who re-
signs, April 5.
35th 1 oot—Ensign J. Gordon to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Best, who retires ; Ensign H. E. Renwick, from the half.
pay of the '73d Foot, to be Ensign, without purchase, April 4 •
J. Fraser, Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Gordon, Aprils.
38th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon J. Robertson, from the half-pay
of the 45th Foot, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Greaves, ap-
pointed to the 4th Light Dragoons, April 5.
39th Foot—Gent. Cadet M. G. Nixon, from the Royal Military
College, to be Ensign, without purchase, April 5.
40th Foot—Staff Assistant-Surgeon J. Archibald to be As-
sistant-Surgeon, vice J. L. Hartwell, whose appointment has not
taken place, April 6.
43d Foot—Lieut. the Hon. W. S. Clements to be Captain, by
purchase, vice Wrottesley, promoted, April 5; Lieut. the Hon.
A. A. Spencer to be Captain, by purchase, vice Harris, who re-
tires, April 6 ; Ensign W. F. Campbell to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Clements, April 5; Ensign J. Alderson to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Spencer, April 6; Ensign Hon. H. C.
Grey, from the 90th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Campbell, April 5;
W. I). Oxenden, Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Alder-
son, April 6.
45th Foot—Lieut. W. H. Butler to be Captain, without pur-
chase, vice Archer, promoted, April 5.
55th Foot—Ensign J. Horner to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Logan, promoted ; Ensign T. A. Heriot to be Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Palmer, promoted; 'l'. De Haviland, Gent. to
be Ensign, by purchase„ vice Horner; .G. Greene, Gent. to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Heriot, April 5.
60th Foot—Brevet Lieut.-Colonel A. M`Pherson, from the
half-Day of the 59th Foot, to be Major, vice Shee, promoted,
April 5.
ekd Foot—Ensign H. Cooper to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Baynes, who retires; 11. Jackson, Gent. to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Cooper, April 5.
66th toot—G. L. Dames, Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase,
vice Dickinson, who retires, April 5.
69th Foot—Brevet Lieut.-Colonel R. Johns, from the half-pay
of the Ist Garrison Battalion, to be Major, vice Lord E. Hay,
promoted, April 5.

74th Foot—l Lieut. A. Brown to be Captain, by purchase, vice
Manic, who retires; Ensign T. Isham to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Brown ; E. J. Elliot, Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase,
vice Isham, April 5.

,
83d Foot—Lieut. H. F. Ainslie to be Captain, by purchase,:vice
Renwick; who retires; Ensign C. T. Egerton to be Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Ainslie; H. Lloyd, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Egerton, April 5.
85th Foot—Lieut. G. Brockman, to be Captain, by purchase,
vice Hopwood, who retires; Ensign M. C. Seton to be Lieute-
nant, by 'purchase, vice Brockman; G. C. Dickson, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Seton, April 5.
95th Foot—Lord C. L. Kerr to be Ensign, by purchase, vice
Grey, appointed to the 434 Foot, April 5.
Ceylon Regiment—Lieut. J. Hewitt, from the half-pay of Dil-
lon's Regiment, to be Lieutenant, vice Keogh, promoted, April 5.
UNATTACHED.—To be Lieutenant-Colonel of Infantry, by
purchase—Major C. Shee, from the 60th Foot, April 5.
To be Majors of Infantry, by purchase—Captain E. S. Prideaux,
from the 12th Foot ; Captain C. A. Wrottesley, from the 43d
Foot, April 5.

To'be.Major of Infantry, without purchase—Brevet Major E.
C. Archer, from the 45th Foot, April 5.
To be Captains of Infantry, by purchase—Lieut. R. G. Crau-
furd, from the 2d Dragoons ; Lieut. J. Palmer, from the 55th
Foot ; Lieut. J. Paterson, from the 33d Foot ; Lieut. R. Logan,
from the 55th Foot, April 5.
BREVET.—To be Majors in the Army—Captain W. Sweet-
man, of the Royal Newfoundland Veteran Companies ; Captain
A. A. O'Reilly, Brigade-Major to the Forces; Captain D. Mahon,
4th Foot, July 22.
MEMORANDA.—The exchange between Assistant-Surgeou
Collis, of the 15th Foot, and Assistant-Surgeon Caldwell, on the
half-pay of the 31st Foot, was dated 25th September, 1830, and
not the 9th July, 1830, as formerly stated.
The under.mentioned Officers have been allowed to retire from
the service, by the sale of Unattached Commissions

Major-General NV. Stewart (Ist), late of 30th Foot ; Captain M.
Ross, half-pay Unattached; Captain J. Fraser, half-pay 76th Foot;
Brevet Lieut.-Colonel the Duke of Richmond, Captain half-pay
52d Font; Major W. S. Taylor, half-pay Unattached; Captain R.
Newland, half-pay Royal Artillery, April 5.

Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Cardigan.
H. Vaughan, Esq., to be Deputy Lieutenant ; J. Lewes, Esq.,
to be ditto ; M. Davies, Esq., to be ditto, March If.
Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Norfolk
I. Preston, Esq., to be Deputy Lieutenant, March 24.
2d, or Eastern Regiment of Norfolk Militia.—T. Rant, Gent.,
to be Ensign, March 17 ; J. H. Vickers, Gent., to be ditto, March
24; W. Waters, Gent., to be ditto, March 25.
Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Surrey.
2d Regiment of Royal Surrey Militia.
A. Evanson, Gent. to be Ensign, vice G. 0. Sanders, resigned,
March 26.
Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Kinross.
26th, or Stirlingshire, &c. Militia.
W. Lothian, jun., Gent. to be Ensign, March 26.
Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Oxford.
To be Deputy Lieutenants—The Hon. Montague Lord Norreys,
March 26 Sir H. P. Willoughby, Bart., .March J. Lech_
mere, March 29.
Ist Regiment of Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry.
C. J. B. Hamilton, Esq to be Adjutant, vice Holmes, resigned,
March 22; H. Peyton, Esq. to be Captain, vice Hamilton, ap.
pointed Adjutant, March 30.
Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of the
County of York.
Ist Regiment of West York Militia.
Ensign B. Veral to be Lieutenant, vice Kemp, deceased; En-
sign G. Linley to be ditto, vice Colby, deceased ; Ensign M. Pal-
mer, to be ditto, vice Bramley, resigned, March 10.
3d Regiment of West York Militia.
Adjutant W. Rawson to be Captain, by Brevet; Ensign H.
Whitaker to be Lieutenant, vice Jefli•eys' deceased; Ensign W.
Waite to be ditto, vice Parker, deceased, March 15.
Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Hertford.
Hertfordshire Militia.
The Hon. Baron Dimsdale to be Captain, Dec. 29, 1830.
Hertfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry.
South Herts Corps.
The Marquis of Salisbury to be Major ; Sir C. E. Smith, Bart.,
to be Captain ; the Hon. Baron Dimsdale to be ditto ; J. Christie,
Esq. to be ditto; 'W. Stratton, Gent. to be Lieutenant; G. S.
'
Thornton, Gent. to be ditto • G Bosanquet, Gent. to be ditto ;
J. M. Carter, Gent. to be Cornet; G. Nicholson, Gent. to be
ditto; E. Griffith, Gent. to be ditto; W. H. Sutton, Gent. to be
Adjutant; W. L. Thomas, Gent. to be Surgeon, Feb. 7.
Cashio Troop.
Viscount Grimston to be Captain; T. F. Gape, Gent. to be
Lieutenant ; A. Denny, Gent. to be Cornet, March 1.
Dacorum Troop.
T. G. Sebright, Esq. to be Captain; C. Hamilton, Gent. to be
Lieutenant ; R. S. Bassil, Gent. to be Cornet, March 3.
Northern Troop.
S. H. U. Heathcote, Esq. to be Captain ' • V. Pryor, Gent, to be
Lieutenant; 'l. Mills, Gent., to be Cornet, March 4.
Gilston Troop.
11. G. Ward, E'sq. to be Captain, March 9 ; D. Hankin, Gent.
to be Lieutenant, March 9; J. G. Nash, Gent to be ditto, March
10; J. C. Canning, Gent. to be Cornet, March 9.

DECLABATIONS OF INSOLVENCY.
THOMAS COCKILL, Littletown, Yorkshire, dyer.
BENJAMIN BERT HON, Kingsland-road-wharf, coal-men
chant.

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Excise
Stamps
Post Office
Taxes
Miscellaneous