The Sun.
London, England, 1814-12-24 00:00:00

THE PROGRESS OF LYING.

The story of the Three Black Crows is so gene-
rally known that we need only allude to it—repe-
tition is unnece,zary, and our parallel will be a
sufficient illustration. Rot the Progress of Lying
is a broad and vulgar title ; mistake, misrepresen-
tation, error, deception, may be sugg:ested to
soften the phrase ;—we cannot alter it, for here
lying is the real truth. It is impossible for the
most cautious newspaper that was ever written to
-steer clear of innumerable inaccuracies and false
reports, for the insertion of which they must
throw themselves on the consideration and can-
dour of the public. But there is no apology for
wilful and perverse malignity, for falsehoods

knotrn ab Who to be false, and persevered in
• with tl,a sante knowledc:e. Such, we are sorry

to *ay. too•common to the British Journals.
If any inrelligent person will look -back for half

the
a year, lie will he lost in astonishment at an-

finite number, the audacity, the wickedness, and
the absolute baselessness of the a.scrtions which

have filled the daily columns of the. Newspapers.

'While we state this humiliating tact, we pretend
to no superior merit, further than this, that we
have never knowingly inserted what we .did not
believe to be true,
_and have ever been anxiously
guarded in our language to distinguish between
the flying rumour of the . day, the value of
which no diligence of ours could ascertain, and
the fact which we could vouch as authentic—But
to our task—the Progress'4, Lying. • -
The Morning Chionicleil.certainly the most. pro-
lific in this species'tif .composition:of 4ny Journal
in the civilized world, ,and which, please Provi7.

dance, we, shall labour (without invading the
other provinces of our publication), 'to make as
despicable and hateful as it deserves to be, has of
late astonished even those who know it, by the
variety, impudence, and multitude of its pure fa-
brications. Not to -mention quarrels that never
existed between the Duke of WELLINGTON and
NBY and MACDONALD ; unfounded Conspiracies at
Paris, with all their circumstances and " daggers
of the brain;" riots and executions at Milan mi-
nutely described, and with appropriate reflexions ;

the flight`of King FERTUNAND from Madrid with

ditto, ditto ;—accounts of naval equipments sent
to America of which the Admiralty never heard ;
intelligence froM Ghent of all sorts except the
truth ; front South America ditto ; letters replete

with lies from Polish-Russians and .tiglish-Ita-
lians—not, in fine, to enumerate its contents from
day to day, we shill take leave to elucidate our
text by the single falsehood respecting the de-
parture of the Emperor ALEXANDER in disgust
from Vienna. The progress of this invention of
a fair specimen of the justice, candour, and
truth of the Party and their Journal.
Upon Wednesday the 14th, the following cau-
tions stateoeut of the fact appeared in the
Chronicle '

" We untkestasugyoor drivellers: they understand nothing)
from a source of great authoritg, that the Emperor Atxx-
ANDLII has determined to quit Coniire.ss, and assent to the
fervent and long urged prayers of a brave, free, hut cruelly
sacrificed people,
" We are further ;orotund, that this rneature was accele-
rated by a proposition for Russia to render up her former
allotment of Poland, not for the purpose of re-establishing
the political existence of that country, but that • a new divi-
eion might be made between her and the former partitioning
Powers,which by rendering the.,different portions more equal)
would tend more tjectually to repress the spirit of indepen-
dence.'

%V OMR v 0 COMMENTS—(niodest toe IF the infor-
mation prove correct, Russia, no doubt, will publish docu-
ments to enable Europe to judge of the integrity of her pro-
ceedings, and the spirit which has actuated the Councils of
her opponents.

,g We presume that the event to which we have alluded,
has ere this taken place, and we await with anxiety the de-
velopment of the consequences."

This was laying the foundation in a workman-
like way :—great authority ! prayers of a brave,
free, but cruelly fiersecuted people; further un-
just prtitions, &c. imputed to persons in the
e are only surprised there was abstinence
(;:i • t to accuse the British Ministry by name
as wicked and abominable. But we
snail find the gruel thicken as we get forward.
On Thur day, the 15th, i. e. the day after the
first spriding paragraph appeared, there having
in the interim been no arrival whatever from any
Continental port, this Conjuror of extraordinary
news collies upon us with a bolder face :---- •

fe
rhe ilorning Chronicle, London,Thursday,Decenaer 15,
laic —We announced yesterday, upon authority to which we
gave credit, that it was the inception of the Zmperur ALEX..
ANDEr. to quit the Congrl,s, in cousequence of his views he-
iug thwarted. It is vow :;tatc,l that he has ACTUALLY quitted
Reptift says) that the proposition of his
surrendering the part of l'uland allotted to Lim in the former
partition- (that a new settlement alight he made), came from
I.ord Castkrealls—CWTtlimight it Would con 4 to this—tha
story would not Lase been worth a farthing but (or the appli-
cation.)—This is the riiiort. The event of ALEXANDER's
leaving the Congress will ew doubt give rise to mnst import-
ant consequences; and melancholy indeed is lhe'praspeet /or
Enrape, ali!l bleeding with the wounda of twenty years war."
ALL ! Low solemn and affecting ! bad we not

been accustomed to this note, how oinin ins and
sad must it have appeared. It was surely enough
to break Europe's heart, especially when we con-
sider bow highly the Chronicle is prized, and how
much (vide its own assertions) its integrity and
troth are repeated in every pot-house on the Con-
tinent ! ,Now collies the application of the tale
—a little of the pathos, indeed, but an Editor
must- not mind that, when it involves a puff.

"'Ms measure of the Emperor ALexxxistm makes the opi-
nions of the Russian Officer, printed is Tuesday's Paper,
of more consequence."
This is the Russian who did not know that Cra-
cow was a Polish City ! !
"Our valuable Correspondent; ANTONIO •tit RAvrtms, this
day answers them*. The discussion is likely to throw con-
siderable light on the strength as well as relative interests of
the parties, and cannot fail to attract the attention of every
political Reader." ! ! !
* Another hired Writer of the Chronicle, who
.scribbles nonsense with such profound dullness
that the pour ignorant Chronicle imagines it is
wise And deep reasoniug. The stupidity of this
Paper is, however, Lou often preyed on in this
way : bad men know that if they only abuse Eng-
land enough, whatever they send'will be admitted,
and from this source we have a great portion of
that tolly.and trash which the accomplished-Edi-
tor fanekt3s to be " valuable correspondence:'—
Having, piaci' his adherents, this learned 't he-
ban thus closes his lucubrations of the 15th.
" Is it. not lamentablc Muth he) that in a moment so cri-
tical to the indepehdeuee and happiness of so many nations—
and when we may he on the verge of another, Var,this Coun-
try should he deprived of the Councils of its Parliament ?
Surely this explosion might have been foreseen by Lord CAI.•
TLEICEAtiU, who was in the secret of the disputed points, and
it is scarcely to be !lc:lies-et] that he could have left his col-
leagues the dark (Truth a wonder). What shall be
said of them (what, indeetb!) if, with the full knowledge that
the Congress was likely to break up—that the league of So-
vereigns would be dissolved, and "that Europe might be re-
plunged in the horrors of war, they moved to adjourn the Sc.r-
sinn mare than two months It is a measure which, no
doubt, will demand the severest condemnation."

Why did not they sit, that the Monarchs at
.Vienna might take their instructions from the
Opposition ? is it not lamentable to think that
two months of Mr. ‘VimmtgAp's ipielies, and
Mr. TiEltN El.'s sarcasms, and Mr. FauemANTLE's
*exiles, and Mr. PussoNßY's oracles, should he
lost at this eventful crisis—but is it not more la-
mentable still,,that their able coadjutors,Tuarot4,
HurcniNsoN, linotrGnAm, RoßsoN, TARLETON,
and other worthies of .the satin! transcendant W-
ields, were not with [heal in Parliamenti—evhat
tt pity that AVAITHMAN, and HUNT, and
and the second BUU'►rnETT,_lined not been added to
the phalanx, that Lo,it CocifkiAlsiß was 'prevented
from attending—and, Heaven bless-us ! where..is
Mr. CREtVEA But we have not time to waste in
lamentations, like the weeping Chronicle, NVe pass
to the third day (Friday the 16th) when the lie
was consistent, complete, solid enough to be ar-
gued upon, and fit for all the virtuous purpos6 of
the Faction.—We ought, moreover, to observe,
that the whole merit of fostering it to maturity is
their own, for still the violent gales had prevented
the arrival of a single item of news from the Con-
tinent. But to the Chronicle—
" The determination of the Emperor of RUSSIA to depart
from the Congress, has made a very great :titration vs the
public mina, as it is an event pre cant with the nest cli:as-
tralLY coruequince4"
This is ail false ;•there was no sensation in the
public mind for the other Papers, -with.few
ceptions, pointed out the fallacy of the report,
and gave sound reasons to induce the public to
despise it, which it did accordingly. As for the
disastrous consequences with - which the event
was pregnant, they were unanimously regarded to
be of the Skiloli kind, threatened by the prophets,
but not forthcoming,

" Our account of the matter is, that on the 2,:th tilt. Lord
C.tsrtuttuAon had a conference with his Imperial Majesty,
in which he submitted to his consideration a plan for settling
the affairs of Poland, of more equal partition than that
which took place on the. last Violence; so as in future to
quiet the minds of the people of that country, by spewing to
them that all prospect of recovering their independence, or
of their being.rc-established as ofle people, was shut upon
them for ever. A pretty compendious mode of ptictitig a
people."

Is there a dolt in the kingdom so utterly aban-
doned by the faculty of reasoning, as to attach
the slightest degree of credit to this brutally stupid
and contemptibly malicious calumny ? Is there
even a Partizan of the Faction so perverted in
understanding, as not to scorn and despise a fa-
brication so gross, clumsy, and incredible ? We
absolutely feel a sentiment of compassion for the
afflicted Writer of it, of the same. species tie
have felt on visiting the forlorn patient of a re-
ceptacle for melancholy lunatics. Unhappy crea-
ture! his senses have taken leave of him,—but he
raves, or rather drivels on—

" This plan necessarily required, that each 'of the three
Powers should give up its pi esent portion of territory, that
the whole-might be subjected to a new partition. This his
Imperial Majesty peremptorily refused to agree to, and he
sent off his brother, the Grand Duke CONSTANTINE, who
was, at the inquient dressed for a Gull pore, to Warsaw. (How
finely theatrical—otl go the silk hose, and on go the boots !)
And that he Alimsell might not again assist at the conference*
of the Sovereigns (there have been nuac), he kept his room
for an indisppsitiem. A letter from a Polish 'Gentleman
(Cracovius, the Itassian—el► to a friend in Paris says," Sa
Majesty est malade sus tams et pour nous." (A clear proof
the letter was for Paris—it is in French, and this shows a
knowledge of the language too But why sal. naus?,,!!)
" Sick uliaa us is a nasty idea." His intention wets to set out
himself for Warsaw on or about the first of December, where
he will be declared King, which the Poles will universally con-
sider as relieving them from their oath► of allegiance to Aus-
tria and Prussia; for it is not necessary to inform our reader.
that all Poland are eager to receive ALLxasuLa as their Sove-
reign."

Bravo ! " FERDINAND MENDEZ PINTO was but
a type of thee, thou liar of the first magnitude."
But our able and enlightened Politician is not
contented with this enlarged explication of the
falsehood ; he proceeds to apply his sagacious
arguments to the fact be has so unquestionably
established. No doubts or fears retard him, and
on he rushes—

" The question naturally asked on this ouddrn stop to the
negotiations at Vienna is, Will the other great Powers,
Austria and England, tamely acquiesce in this arrangement?
The Grand Duke CONSTANTINE and General TOLLS are busily
employed iu forming magazines at Cracow, Lublin, and other
places, and in reviewing the Polish and Russian troops. They
announce by this their intention to support their project by
force of arms. tVill they be opposed ? .or will Austria con-
tent herself by seizing in her turn on Italy, and perhaps on
Switzerland? Is Europe again to he deluged in blood, or is
the war of negotiation at a general Congress to be more
fatal to the independence, freedom, and security of nations,
even than the war of fire and sword
As to France, she politically has been silent. on the subject
of the views of ALexAsof.a. flee part of PrinceTA LLEYHA ND
has been that of tke pourique morale. The Poles wish fur the
Emperai ALExAstna, and there is no resisting the voice of
Feopkt Lurd STAPliktr has been cutotailied at TALLcr-

RAND% having started ne oVcctipn to ti.l.-ansfer of !Itigiam
The French Minister has never alluded to it. No to be sure !
he has no need. Sot.nre trie Emperor ALEANDErS in the pos-
session of Poland, and he will say that the Mine is the na-
tural boundary of France. The secret understanding be-
tween them was obvious before the publicati..n of Ca:lx:wive
Letter. 117,at a eonclusian-tnthe Cougress al Henna!

" Crack, crack sicks, for I can hold no longer"
—and are all these notable, these wonderful, these
prodgions, these pr(tound remarks lavished on a
dream—the mere creature of the Writer's brain,
a shadow and delusion.—" Is it not lamentable,
but it is even so !"--

'tire are sick of this monstrous imbecility ;
this worse than idiotic babbling, but shall conduct,
our Readers to the end of these lucubrations,
the best comment upon which is to bear in re-
membrance that they proceed upon data invented
by the \\Triter, confirmed by other unblushing as-
sertions, and all alike false and unfounded.

" Another surmise has arisen in the minds of the City
speculators in consequence if /Ass (mid.. How will this sir
fret the negoeiation at Ghent? -They are quite AWARE that the
Earl of Lit-Lamm, ist.his present tottering state, has yielded
up all the points which in an hour of exaltation he demand-
ed (another falsehood! as shamtless as the first); and that
Mr. President NIADI soN being in his scat pethaps as insecure
as the Btitish Minister, had also lowered his crest. We
speak of the iwieetuity of the British Minister frosts the
conviction, that the P"alNee- Ittass;Nt cannot be satisfied
with the manner in which the business of the State is
conducted ; and the debates in the American Senate will chew
the situation of the President. In this mutual state of hu-
miliation, it was thought by those its the secret, that the Ne-
gociation bore a must favourable aspect ; and as our readers
know, an immense Bull Account at the Stock Exchange has
been the consequence. But this unexpected event has oc-
curred at Vienna, of which Mr. C tau FORD would no doubt
apprize the American Ministers front Pari, as Lord CASTLE-
REAGH would inform ours from Vienna. Will the Americans,
with the hoowli,ilge of this fact, sign Preliminaries? We ask
the question, because it may be doubtful ; and this may serve
to chew how dangerous it is for men to speculate on what
that' conceive to he good iitformation !I ! ! I

They had better trust to the Morning Chronicle!

Upon the foregoing example of falsehood in-
vented and perseve;.ed in, then assumed as truth,
and commented upon in- a manner most injurious
to the Councils and Character of Great Britain ;
we shall offer no remark, but that it is the com-
mon and accustomed course pursued by the Jour-
nal in question. The Negociations continue, and
the Emperor Au:KA suca remains at Vienna ! :And
vet after he has announced these direct coctr,i-
(fictions of his own impudent fabrications, the
Quack of the Chronicle has yesterday the effrontery
to begin his Incuhrations
.!-The, intelligence from Vienna, brought by the last Mail,
fui'h/ cotrm,v the account wag ye some days ago of the um-
brage taken by the Emperor A LExAN DERat the proposal made
by the Brills-4 Master to skhjeet.POlefied to a new partition."
-Cat) anything exceed this unblushing disregard
of every thing worthy of respect in a Public IVri-
tar, or. a good Citizen. Where is the honest
avowal of misinformation, and recantation ofthe
calumnies proceeding thereupon ? But we give
such matchless disingenuity and baseness to the
scorn of the British People.