The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-06 00:00:00

- tl-1+

LONDON,
MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 6, 1836.

The Committee of the city of London Reform Club
have published a report of their proceeding--; during the
last year. This important document will be found in
another part of our paper, and cannot fail to afford the
highest gratification to the heart of every genuine Re-
former in the kingdom. The Committee justly observe
that the great objects of the Club were to increase,
protect, and purify the Parliamentary Constituency ;"
and the report bears ample testimony that these objects
have been steadily and successfully kept in view by the
Con-imittee, to whom was entrusted the responsible and
laborious office of making, and carrying into effect, the
various arrangements, extensive and complicated, which
such an Institution required. How skilfully these ar-
rangements have been contrived may easily he imagined
from one ample fact stated in the Report, namely, that
the organization of so vast a constituency as that of the
City of London, is at this time in so perfect a state
that, " the business of an election may be entered upon
at a moment's notice." Had the Committee accom-
plished nothing beyond this, their labours would have
entitled them to the thanks of the community. But
when we find that by their active and well-directed
zeal in the great and good cause, they have been the
means of adding more than 1,000 votes to the majo-
rity of 1,356, which the lowest Reformer obtained at
the last election aver the highest Tory—that this ac-
-cession of strength has been gained in the teeth of a
powerful Tory opposition, not very scrupulous in the
means it employs to attain its ends—and that the sug-
gestionalvhich their experience has enabled them to
-make to the first Law Officer of the Crown, will have
the effect of materially improving the Bill for amend-
in-g the Parliamentary Registration—it will not be an'
(easy matter eithctt to appreciate the labour, or to over-rate
the services, of the Committee. We hope and trust that
the beneficial consequences which have been thus
proved to result from the City of London Reform Club,
will stimulate the members of similar institutions to si-
inilar exertions, and that the example set by the
Chairman, Mr. TRAVERS, who has so liberally de-
voted his time, his wealth, and his superior talents to
the advancement of a cause in which the welfare of
the country is deeply involved, may be followed by
our leading mercantile men throughout the kingdom.
NVe cannot conclude these few hasty observations with-
out reminding the public that, while the Committee
are thus labouring in the cause of Reform, they must
be supported by adequate funds. The sinews of war
must be supplied, if it is expected that the war should,
be successfully carried on.

We are glad to find that the Sheriffs of Middlesex
have convened a Meeting of the Freeholders of the
county of Middlesex for Wednesday next, the Bth
instant, on the subject of the Municipal Reform Bill
for Ireland. Mr. O'CONN-ELL has promised to attend
the Meeting, to advocat.c the cause of his oppressed and
insulted ,countryman .

We can conp;ratulate cur readers on the prosperous
state of the O'CONNELL Subscription. The Re-
formers are alive in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool,
and others of the principal towns, and public Meetings
arc to be hr;ld immediately.

Oar Contemporary the Chronicle, of this morning,
has. 'some very excellent observations on the subject of
twe reforms which have lately been effected in the
.vr'ost-office deputment. It is the interest of the
country to accept with thankfulness every improvement
suggested, and privilege conceded, by persons in
nthority ; nor is it always either expedient or prudent
look beyond the Minister making a concession for
the author and originator of it. But when it
se' happens that the real originator of wise
and economical measures is not only not rewarded
by those who assume the merit of his suggestions—
but is actually thrust aside lest the extent of his ser-
vices should dim the lustre of ministerial radiance—
We consider it the duty of every honest man to co-
operate in doing justice to the real public benefactor,
by deprecating the means thus taken to deprive him
of even the empty praise due to his efforts to promote
the national welfare.. We, therefore, adopt the senti-
ments of our Contemporary with respect to the
ungrateful treatment which Sir EDWARD S. LEES,
late Secretary of the Irish Post-Office, received

at the hands of the Government, during the I
Post-Master-Generalship of hi,3 Gtat6 Dlnke of
RICHMOND. Were WC called ittpo'.l te) tArne the in-
dividual who, fora period ,oftvi.-tAity years and upwards,
had most efficicatfy lal)nured to remove the radical
abuses of our Post-office Establishment—who endea-
voured under all circumstances practically to illustrate
the benefit which would arise from the adoption of
his simestions—whose zeal was proof against the
chillin, influence of neglect, indifference, Milt even
official discouragement—we should not hesitate an
instant to give the name of Sir E. S. LL:s. We
could not point to a reform suggested by the Commis-
sioners of Inquiry—we could hardly mentiou a mea-
sure which the Hon. Member for Greenock has
pressed upon the attention of the Legislature as ne-
cessary to the efficient management of the Post-office
Department—which was not recommended by Sir
EDWARD S. LEES in his examination hdore the
Revenue Commissioners of Inquiry in 1829.
Let those who would make themselves acquaint=
ed with this important circumstance tura to the
Nineteenth Report, dated as above ; and if, after reading
Sir E. S. LEES'S evidence, they hesitate to pronounce
him entitled to the gratitude of the Reformers of Great
Britain and Ireland, we will henceforth acknowledge that
we do not know in what Post-office Reform consists. And
what has been:his reward ? We will explain :—His
name has not been mentioned in connection with a
single measure of Reform adopted by the Government
—even where he had been the first—the very first—
to suggest such a measure. This in itself was most
illiberal. But the worst part remains behind. When
the Government felt itself obliged to take some steps
towards reforming the Post-Office, its first act was to
remove Sir EDWARD S. LEES from the Secretaryship
of the Irish Post-Office in Dublin, where he held a
patent office of 1,4501. a year, to the same situation
in Edinburgh, where he is only allowed a salary of
8001. a year—without being allowed a sixpence for
the loss of his patent ! The Duke of RICHMOND,
in his evidence before the Committee of the House of
Commons, in 1831, said—
" I have removed the Gentleman who was Secretary in
Dublin to Scotland, and I have done so because I thought
he was not the responsible officer in the department. Sir
Edward Lees has stated that he has, from time to time,
made very strong representations to the Postmasters-General,
but for some reason there was no remedy afforded."
Now we would merely observe that there was no-
thing to prevent the Duke of RICHMOND, and the
Government of which he was a member, from making
Sir E. S. LEES the responsible officer in the Irish
Post-office department. But admitting that there
was, why was a gentleman wlio had served the coun-
try most efficiently for a period of thirty years, thus
deprived of half his salary, and driven, as it
were, into an Lonourable exile from the coun-
try in wl:,ose Post-office institutions he had
made o many improvements ? Ministers require not
to be informed that such a removal, with a diminished
salary, implied the strongest censure, on the part of the
Crown, of the conduct of the Secretary. And yet Sir
EDWARD S. LEES uttered no complaint. On the con-
trary, he began his reforming labours anew in Edin-
burgh, and the consequence is a marked improvement
in the management of the Post-Office Establishment
there, coupled with an actual increase of seven thousand
pounds a-year ! But his reward is at hand. The
Ministry and the Country, to whom we appeal in his
behalf, will at last do him ample justice.

Madrid papers to the 29th ult. have been received.
The Cortes have been convoked according to the pro-
visions of the new Electoral Law. The following is
the Royal decree to that effect :

" For the purpose that the assembly of the Cortes may
take place with the least possible delay, we order that, in ad-
dition to their usual labours, they may concur with the Throne
in the great work of the revision of the fundamental laws
of the Monarchy promised by the Royal Decree of tthe 23d
of September last ; and in order that they who are to be De-
puties to the said Cortes may be elected in a popular manner,
and so as to represent the necessities, the well-understood
interests, and the real opinions of the Spauish station ; and
considering that my Government presented in the late Cham-
bet of Deputies a project of electoral law, the articles of
which were approved of after mature deliberation, although
in consequence of notorious circumstances it could not pass
through the other formalities necessary to constitute a law, I
have resolved to command, in the name of my much-beloved
daughter, Donna Isabella 11., after hearing the opinions of
the Council of Ministers, that the elections shall take place
in the manner therein ordained."

The whole of the Paris Journals of Saturday have
been received. They contain the substance of an
important paragraph which we have extracted from the
Hampshire Telegraph, relative to the sudden de-
parture of CORDOVA for Madrid, Nothing is now
talked of but his treason, which it 4.=. feared will
endanger the British and French troops now left
in a situation of extreme petit.
PARIS, JAN. 3.—The French Funds have continued to fall
today, and the Spanish did the same : little business Wai
done. The hope's of an intervention, which the speculators in
Spanish might have entertained, in consequence of the coup
de 'nail: of Gen. Nogues on the Carlist battery of the Bi-
dassoa, bare been rather disconcerted by the manner in which
M. Thiers spoke of the ruinous consequences of a measure of
which he was lately the most eager partisan.
We now know what we are to think of the great victories of
Cordova, whose bulletins, so ':,trnttgety ilitad by facts, seem
to have been the principal element of the plan of deception
framed tofavour the formation ef* flew Ministry.
From all the facts yet known it seems that Cordova really
made himself master of the positions which he attacked, but
was driven back by a vigorous effort of the Carlists, several of
whose Generals were v;ounded that he was pursued by them
on the 26th and 27th to 'Vittoria, This reverse is attributed by
a Correspondent to the want of the support of the English Le-
gion, which wac., talcitg Passages for his Britannic Majesty,
while a divio;ron against Ernani, in combination with Cor-
dova's attt.e would have enabled the latter to reap the fruits
of his victory. This Correspondent attributes the inaction of
Evans on Q.'s occasionito instructions sent him by Mr. Villiers,
to do .othi T.: np,rr which might support the new Ministry formed
un?.Aer French influence:—Messager, June 4.

FRENCH FUNDS.L'-Pißis, JUNIt 3.

Five per Cents., 108 f. Sc. leSf. MSC 10c. sc:
Four per Cents., 101 f. 25c.
Three per Cents. 81f. Msc. 75c. 70c. 80c.
Bank Actions, 2,282 f. SOc. 2,285 f. 2,2871. SOc
Rente de'Naples, Ith2f. 60c. 45c. 55c. 60c.
Roman Five per Cents.. 102%%34.
Spanish Actives, 42 41;i1i%%.
Spanish Differes, 19W A.
Spanish Passives, 1214%1A.
Belgian Loan, Five per Cents., 102%.
Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents, 5:1%,
Dutch Two and a Half per Cents., 5Sf.
Haytian Loan, 375 f. 310 f.
EXCHANGE ON LONDON.
One month, paper, -f. -c.; money, 251 37%,.
Three months, paper, -f. -c. ; money, 25f. ass.
-Coors Authentique.
FRENCH FUNDS.-PAets, JuNe 4.
Five per Cents., 108 f. 107 f. 95c. Stlc. 95c.
Three per Cents., 81f. Suc. 70c. 63c. 70c.
Bank Actions, 2,285 f.
Rente de Naples, loot. 10c. Inc.
Roman Five per Cents., 102%.
Spanish Actives, 41y, 4O'7i, 41.
Spanish Passives, 12 12,4
Portuguese Three per Cents. 52 51%.
Haytian Loan, 370 f.
EXCHANGE ON LONDON.

One month, paper, —c.; money, 25f. 37L4c
ree months, paper, —f. —C. ; 25t. ti:3c
(I,rs AuthentiDie.

Boußsv, QUAItTER TO FOUR.-The French funds are rather
worse to-day. The Three per Cents. opened at 82f., and fell
gradually to 81f. 80c. to 81f. 75c. Spanish Active Stock
opened at 41k, and declined to 401, sellers.
LAST PRICES.—Five per Cents., 108 f. 20e. ; Three
Per Cents., 81f. 85c. ; Five per Cents. Spanish, —; Three
per Cents. Spanish, —; Cortes, —; Coupons, —; Gueb-
bards, —; Differes, 141; New Loan, —; Actives, 41 ; Pas-
sives, 124; Ducats, 100 30 ; Romans, 102.-} —; Pedros, —;
Belgians, ; Dutch, —f. —c. ; Haytians, 370 f. —c. ;
Nliguels, —; Brabant Bank, —; Belgian Bank, 19 ; Con-
tinuation, —c. ; New Differes, —; Five per Cent. Perpe•
tuelles, —; Royal Loan,

We have received a file of the Jamaica Despatch,
from the 7th to the 17th of April inclusive. Their
contents are uninteresting, inasmuch as they are a
record of opinions—not of facts. What the opinions
of this Journal are is no secret to such of our readers
as take an interest in West India affairs. Hardly a
Number has appeared for the last two years in which
was not inserted a long, dull, vituperative tirade against
the Slave emancipationists, Mr. FOWELL BlcTorr, and
the Marquis of SLIGO. In the papers now received
the sapient Editor plays the part of a Seer, prophe-

tvitli the destruction of our
Nest Illui3 Colonial trade. In an article in the
Despatch of the 7th of April, on the increase of the
East India sugar for the year 1835, and the coinpara-
tive decrease of West India pr,...ktce for I,IW YAliie
period, we 11,3.vc 41'1'11-able 4iceinien of
W• - •
plantatioh pray our readers to peruse it
with atteutiOni:---,-
The G'ovc:rntnent that wouhi be Ind andbei3otted
enough to destroy the outWor.lts:Of the Ir_.,",tipire, while they
were yielding a revenue 4 "six iblllions annually, deserve the
execration of,e\-e'r;i- tt,,l:itutacturer and mechanic in Great Bri-
tain. lii tltlia there will be no capital required for tluc.! plll--
cha* of labourers—they are already atta,'...litkl 16 soil, and
the expense of their clothing .71-1 ti\Ailltoitiiite falls so far short
of what the Jamaica compelled the planters to pay their
.laves for thr..4 Rete§sArie§:, that they can 'aultivoAt !..,-ligar and
coffee Zit.)per Ceht. cheaper than 'Could ht hone by the Jamaica
planter, besides the 'lt'dditi'onal Certainty that their labotireis are
attached to the t«tl ; whereas, with us, after lie Year 1840,
the late Aik`Ft'S of Jamaica may work Or net; et thi..l7. pleasure ;
and vrt 'shall have the cornfott NlP,‘i• in the condition of St.
••• ,t t
Domingo, the most ,ti-V2ticlll% and the most deplorable portion
of the Weft Itk'Ai..l,lsi islands, where neither life or property are
, •
seen~` ... ..,,a although the population in 1794 amounted to
ftearly half a million, it is now diminished in a " frightful"
degree, and the exports are almost nominal, as the Code
Rural in that free and military Government has not been suf-
ficiently energetic to coerce labour. After the year 1840,
how are we of Jamaica to be able to continue our cultivation?

Nothing looks so like irony as over-earnestness in
support of a proposition radically false. Had we
stated that the above extract was written by some clever
wag of the Free Trade School, and intended for in-
sartion in a forthcoming Number of the Westminster
Review, four-fifths of our readers would have pro-
nounced it a capital hit at our monopoly-loving co-
lonists. For what, after all, does it amount to, but a
declaration that without a sacrifice of fifty per cent. on
the part of Great Britain, our West India planters will
be compelled to walk on their legs instead of keeping
up splendid carriage establishments, and vying in. their
expenditure with our hereditary Nobility ? And then
the fling at the Government, for dreaming of abolishing
such a monopoly I Why, such a saving as fifty per
cent. on sugar would totally ruin the commerce of
Great Britain ! What true Englishman, for example,
would purchase East India sugar for three-pence a
pound, when he could get genuine West India sugar
of a worse quality, manufactured by apprenticed
negroes—made free in spite of their task-masters—for
eightpence ? And who is there that does not perceive
that in such a case the purchase of the cheaper and
better article, in preference to the dearer and worse one,
would entail ruin upon his country, his friends,
his family, and himself? We thank the editor
of the Despatch for putting the question so
fairly and intelligibly before the public. We
think with him that " every manufacturer and me-
chanic in• Great Britain" must be a strange fellow in-
deed, who does not consider a Government worthy of
execration which reduces the prices of sugar and coffee
—two of the necessaries of life—fifty per cent. No-
thing in fact can be clearer than that it is the
interest of the working man to receive low wages,
and pay the highest price for every article of necessary
consumption. But, strange to say, the prejudices of

the working classes are all on the other side of the

question. They have somehow or other got an idea
into their heads that to sell where we can sell dearest,
and buy where we can buy cheapest, is as much the
interest of nations as of individuals. The Legislature,
too, begins to sympathise with them in this conviction ;
so that we have our doubts as to whether the cause of
the planters can be more injured than it is by the
arguments put forth by its supporters of the Jamaica
press.

We have received letters from Lisbon to the 30th
ult. On the 29th her Most Faithful Majesty, the
QUEEN, opened the Extraordinary Session of the
Cortes in person. Her MAJESTY was accompanied
by her Royal Consort, the Duchess of BRAGANZA,
and the principal Officers of State. All the Foreign
Ministers were in attendance. The following is her
MAJESTY'S Speech from the Throne :

" Worthy Peers of the kingdom—Senhors Deputies of the
Portuguese nation—lt is always with the most lively satisfac-
tion that I see you assembled round my throne, in the exercise
of your high functions, co-operating with my efforts to conso-
lidate arid develope the constitutional charter of the Monarchy.
" The brief space of the ordinary session not having af-
forded sufficient time for the accomplishment of the necessary
legislative business, the examination and arrangement of the
public accounts, of the revenues and expenditure of the, king-
dom, and of other branches of the public service, I have, in the
exercise of one of my prerogatives, convoked this extraordinary
session, in order that you may give your attention to those
measures which the well-being of the nation imperatively
requires.
" The object of the measures which will be submitted to
you by my Ministers will be to effect a diminution in the pub-
lic expenditure, an increase in the public revenues, and to main,
tain the national credit. Other matters of not less importance
and equally deserving your most serious attention will be also
submitted to you.
" From your experienced wisdom and patriotism I hope that
these matters will be disposed of by you in a manner calculated
to realise the advantages of the constitutional charter, being a
source of prosperity to my subjects."