The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-15 00:00:00

rtiEW TIMES.]

The speeches of Lord Liverpool and Mr.
Canning at Bristol will be read with deep in-
terest by the public at large. This is the first
occasion which either of those great Statesmen
has had to deliver his sentiments in public
since the recognition of the South American
States ; and some curiosity, perhaps we might
add some anxiety, was felt to know whether that
event had left on the minds of either Minister
any impression of doubt as to its eventual
result. If such doubt had existed in the mind, it
would have betrayed itself more or less distinctly
in language. We should have found some back-
wardness in speaking of the probable continu-
ance of peace—some want of confidence in the
duration of our present prosperity—or, at all
events, some hesitation to encourage hopes that
that prosperity would advance beyond the limit
which it has already attained. But, upon pe-
rusing all thee speeches made by the Noble Earl
and the Bight Honourable Gentleman in the
course of the day, we find that they studiously
introduced, and forcibly stated their intimate
persuasion that the country is but enter-
ing on a career of greatness, which bears every
indication of being altogether unparalleled. " It
would appear," says Mr. Canning, " that the
whole machine of society has received an accele-
rating impulse, and that this conntry is beginning
a course of prosperity which will exceed all that
has gone before, as much as the present exceeds
all past expectation-i." We stated on Thursday
some facts, which prove incontestably the pre-
erninentsuperiority of England in capital, industry,
and enterprise ; and had our space permitted,
we should have gone on to shew that the
Constitution of this country, as it has be en the
main cause of our attaining our present eminence
among nations, so it affords us the best security
for maintaining that ascendency. We have many
advantages ; we are of a strong and active race ;
we inhabit a temperate climate ; we possess a
soil of moderate fertility ; our maritime situation,
is admirably adapted for war and for commerce ;
our I►abits are those of industry and of economy ;
but it is our Constitution which gives to these and
all our other blessings their greatest weight and
efficacy—and it does so, not merely by means of
Freedom, but because its Freedom is dig-
nified and adorned with rank and power,
and because its moral principle is interwoven
with Religion. It is this Constitution, stand-
ing midway between pure Republicanism and
pure Monarchy, which gives us the right
and the power to resist the excesses of
both. The middle ground which we thus
occupy cannot be maintained without the hap-
piest mixture of firmness and moderation : it re-
quires talents of a rare and inestimable cha-
racter in the Government ; it requires in the
Sovereign a high degree of public virtue.—
The Members for Sornersetsl►ire bore testi-
mony to the satisfaction of their Constituents
at the conduct of I►is _ Majesty's Ministers ;
and we need scarcely add, that the sentiment
pervades the whole country. Still less is it
requisite for us to re-echo the applauses which a
grateful nation bestow on the Monarch whose
reign has been crowned with so much real glory.
We have heard that his Majesty intends opening
the Session'of Parliament in person, his health
being quite competent to the fatigue of that exer-
tion. Should he be able to carry his gracious in-,
tentions into effect, he will have to announce
from the Throne prospects of national happiness
and glory most gratifying to his heart, and most
cheering to his People.

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]
Our readers %$ ill see from our report of a ca3e,
Duncan v. Trend and Others, Proprietors Of
The Morning Advertiser, tried yesterday iu the
Court of King's Bench, arising out of the report
that formed the subject of the action against Me
Morning Herald, in which the decision was given
by the Court that has given so much uneasiness

to all lovers of a free Press, and enemies of Magis-
terial oppression—that notwithstanding the Lord
Chief Justice, in his charge to the Jury, stated,
" as far as his judgment went, he was decidedly
of opinion that their verdict must be given for
the plaintiff," the Jury, without quitting the box,
and after a consultation of only about three
minutes, returned a.verdict for the defendants.—
Mr. Brougham made an admirable speech on the
occasion for the defendants, which enabled the
Jury to see pretty distinctly the real merits of
the case. The English Law is very fastidious
with regard to what it will allow to be stated
in evidence ; and there being no justifica-
tion entered in the case, the alleged libel was
of course to be presumed to be a false account
of the proceedings which took place at Bow-street,
the circumstance of the justification of the Morn-
ing Herald, that all the world knows, being a mat-
ter of which all in Court were to be kept perfectly
ignorant. Mr. Brougham, however, contrived to
introduce that justification, and to him at what
things were practicable, under a system of law
like ours, in his very significant comment on a
complaint of the Attorney-General, " that no
means had been taken by the defendants towards
entering into inquiry relative to the truth which
Mr. Duncan was so eager to have investi..'ated—
so zealous in complaining that he had had no op-
portunity of justifying his conduct, because no
bill of indictment had been preferrred against
him." Very strange certainly does this seem,
but very strange things take place in London
every day.
" The greater luck was his, said Mr. Brougham, that a year
and a half should be allowed to elapse, but for this neglect
many reasons might be assigned. One of the parties bound
over to prosecute was a near relation to the plaintiff% means
might have been taken to prevent the Chandlers from prefer-
ring their Bill; in short, there were a hundred causes from
which it might have arisen, but there was one from which he
was sure it did not spring, and that was from any fear on the
part of the prosecutors, from the consciousness of their case
being framed in malice; he felt sure that it could not be a
scheme of malignity against this much injured man, this
suffering Attorney ; it could not be so ; for if Duncan
had felt the whole to be a bottomless slander against his
character, if he knew that the accusation had arisen from the
malice of these conspirators, he likewise must surely know
that the Law would, in such a case, step forward to assist him,
and to enable him to gain redress. Had he known such to be
the case, it would have been his bounden duty to have pro.,
ceeded in this Court by indictment, to have gone before the
Grand Jury with an indictment against the false accusers, that
he might have tendered his own evidence on oath; but he had
done no such thing." __ _ • _ _ _ __ _

But, leaving the plaintiff in the position► in which
Mr. Brougham has placed him by his powerful
argument and keen sarcasm, we turn to the re-
sult, and we must say that it has given us very
great satisfaction. It affords an earnest too that
in this great struggle between the organs of the
Law and the Press of the country, Juries, as far
as they may be concerned, n ill not be found
wanting. Mr. Brougham called upon the Jury,
" in dealing out justice between the parties in
this case, to keep constantly before them the
great purpose of giving forth the news of
the day for the Public Press, by which
means a person accused and the world
were brought in contact with one another."
—lf the doctrine of the Judges of the
Court of King's Bench were to be acted on, every
Magistrate's proceedings would necessarily be
enveloped in secrecy, and persons accused and
the world would be brought in contact with one
another for the first time on the day of trial. We
tremble to think of the multiplied mischiefs
which would thereby he inflicted on the country.
We trust the verdict of this Jury will serve to
stimulate the conntry to make exertions corre-
sponding to the urgency of the occasion. This
metropolis would become a sink of iniquity, were
it not for the dread of exposure in the Reports
of the proceedings of Police Offices. The Press,
and the Press alone, prevents the existence of
numerous offenders, who, emboldened by secrecy,
and the hope of afterwards arranging matters,
would soon set every thing like decency at de-
fiance.

LMORNING nEitAr.n.]
Extract of a letter dated Madrid, Dec. 30,
1824:—" A struggle for predominance between
the members of the Cabinet still continues.—
Messrs. lea, Bermudez, and Ugarte still con-
tinue to act in concert, notwithstanding all the
efforts of the anti-moderate party to divide them.
It appears that in Valencia the Clergy are not
in the fullest odour of sanctity with the Autho-
rities and the inhabitants, for Gen. Bassecourt
has fonnd it necessary to address the following
circular to the Governors and A lcaldes
The frequent and unheard-of vexations in-
flicted upon the Ministers of the Altar by
some subaltern Authorities within my juris-
diction, and the little respect shewn to them, as
well as the shameless infraction of the religious
and wise Laws of our Catholic Monarch, who
peculiarly protects the Ecclesiastics, have filled
my heart with bitterness, and excited in me a
zeal for the just cause of God. In consequence
I feel myself bound by duty to make known to
you these sentiments, in order that you may
turn more particularly your attention upon a sub-
ject that interests so materially the cause of mo-
rality arid observance of the laws, and that you
might make known to all the Authorities within
your jurisdiction that I shall punish with .the ut-
most severity every disrespect shown to, or in-
jury inflicted upon the Clergy, which I consider
one of the deepest of crimes, because it directly
attacks the most august portion of our re-
ligion You will also receive from these
Authorities an acknowledgment of having received
this Circular, which you will transmit to me.'
General La Serna, in his last dispatches to the
Government here, most earnestly demands that
there should be sent to him as many officers, up
to the rank of Captain, as can be obtained. In
consequence the Government has called upon the
officers who have served in the CoUstitutional
army to resume their rank (for the purpose of
going to South America), without being subject-
ed to the usual preliminary purification. But
as these officers have not answered the call, the
Government, in order to compel them to come
uet
ai furlough,
are o
forward, has ordered the Police in the principal
towns
nwt. lria tt here these es
ead officers,
fi tid son
q l
means
Itratesd
of
gaining
a livelihood, to, deliver them passports, and force
them to quit these towns, and return to their na-
tive villages? where they must either starve or en-
rol themselves for the American service. It is,

I

impossible to express to you what a panic seiliel
the partizans of the absolute King, on the slightestt
rnmour of the landing of the Constitutionals, 01.
the appearance of a Guerilla. While 01
rumour lasts, they look as down-hearted and
alarmed, as they were before haughty and how
lent. Such has been the case within the last
few days, from its being rumoured that a for'
rnidable Constitutional Guerilla had shown itself
in the neighnurhood of the capital, but whic4,o
turned out to be no more than a troop of a dozer
robbers, who had plundered some muleteers'
The new method of exacting the payment of the
taxes has occasioned serious troubles in some 01
the provinces. The inhabitants of several
villages have absolutely refused to pay. Mill'
tart' force has been employed, and several vil; •
lagers committed to prison. ft is worthy 0'
remark that the most obstinate of these non'
payers of taxers belong to the Royalist volull' ,
teers. Since it has become known that hospita'
lily, protection, and perfect security of persoe
and property are afforded to all Spaniards who
take refuge in the towns occupied by the French,
a great number of families have quitted the
capital, and several others are preparing to
follow them to Barcelona, Pampeluna, Ca'
diz, &c. At the lait meeting of the heads 01
the Clergy, in the Convent of Mercy, for the per,
pose of appropriating a part of the revenues to the
neces,ities of the State, difficulties arose, which
scarcely leave a hope of any succour from that
quarter, for it appears that, although the Clergi .
are authorised to levy the whole tithe, yet the!
receive scarcely two-thirds, either in consequence
of the non-payment by the farmer and peasants,
or the negligence and dishonesty of the col'
lectors."