The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-11 00:00:00

REGENCY OF TERCEIRA.

THE POST OFFICE.

(From the Times.)

The new arrangement at the Post-office, for the de-
livery of foreign letters by the men employed in the two-
penny-post, was productive to-day of very great inconve-
nience to merchants, whom we never remember more ve-
hement in their complaints on any '-mailer occasion.
Though the French letters were announced as ready for
delivery at two o'clock, they did not, in many instances,
even in the heart of the city, reaeh their destinati,tn till
half-past three. It was usual for the foreign postmen
who had no other duty *o attend to than the foreign let-
ters, to accomplish the whole in a quarter or at most in
half an hour. Such delay is often the cause of most set ions
injury. The presentation of a bill fur acceptance, or an
order for the insurance of a ship, with other business of
the like kind, are often nutters of extreme urgency, in
which the delay of a day may be fatal. No insurances
are effected at Lloyd's after four o'clock, and the post of
the next morning may bring intelligence of the loss of the
vessel to be insured. Some alteration in this arrangement
is vety loudly called for by the merchants, who are dis-
posed to condemn it more, by the belief that it is the result
of a moat ill-judged economy- in this important branch of
the public service.

(From the Morning Herald.)
Our attention has been milled to a new arrangement in
the Foreign Department of the PoOedfice, and the great
inconvenience which it occasions mercantile men. The
arrangement alluded to is ePt' of the economical schemes
of the late Administration a scheme, by which, fcr the sake
of saving three or four hundred pounds a-year of the pub-
lic money, a number of poor men are thrown out of em-
ployment, and the public theiinselvee subjected to at iu-
convenience. We some time ago stated that the deliverers
of foreign letters were about to be discharged, and that
there was henceforward to he but our delivery..—thee is,
that the English and foreign letters were to he delivered
at one and the same time. As, however, it :requently
happens that the foreign enai"e do not at rive till lone after
the Engliah ones, we fores'iw that the Incrchants would ne-
cessarily be kept out of their lette:s t great length of time,
it being intended on such ecettsions, to send then: through
the Two-penny Post. A circumstance of the kind here
alluded to occurred to-day. The Hamburg mail WAR in
a little after eleven this merning, but, as the letters had to
go through the Twopenny Post, they wee., net delivered,
even in the vicinity of the Exchange, tiil half-past three
o'clock in the afternoon. When we take Mt.> coneidera-
tion that the saving made by this new arrangement does
nut amount, at most, to more than ft:Lir or fie:hundred a_
year, and when it is well known that a caving of as many
thousands might have been made by a reduction is the
salaries of the principal officers of the Post-cilia: without
doing them any injustice, we may safely conclude that the
scheme is one of those snack plat., of economy adopted
for the purpose of thtowing dust into the people's eyes,
regardless whether the public service suffers by it or not.

I THE HEIRESS OE BRUGES.--TIIiS new his-
torical
vaeyrsi
sici ye
nWe s a
oyfs especially recommends itself by its
torical romance, by the celebrated author of " ifigh
d
'high daring, of military enterprise, and
perilous adventure. To the merit of thorough acquaint-
ance with the country described by the author (to which
so great an interest at present attaches), he has selected a
period of history replete with events of intense excitement.
Tite story arises out of the Mate of the Low Couutries,
writhing under Spanish oppression during the government
of the Archduke Ataitur and his consort ISA/M1.1.A. The
account of the Revolt of Brabant and Flanders. under
Illavnicx of Orange--of the siege of Welsbach—and
the romantic adventures of the, ehivalrons Count de 13. t-
s a Colonel of Walloons, are all pAverfully deli-
neated, and so are the two heroines of the tale whose
characters are contrasted with dramatic ekill.
CONVEYANCE OP BULLION.--We stated
some time since that the freight for the conveyance of bul-
lion by his MAJZSTY% packets was objected to by the mer-
chants and parties interested, and that representations hid
been made to Government on the subject. The question,
it appears, is again revived, and au investigation will pro-
hably take place into *le circumstances. While an at-
tempt is made to excite a prejudice against the Commauders
of the packets, on account of the high rates demanded for
the conveyance of bullion, it should not be forgotten that
the freight is regulated by the Admiralty—that one-fourth
portion goes to the Admiral—one-fourth to the chest at
Greenwich Hospital..-and that the Commander of the
packet has to pay the Consul's commission, boat hire, bank
charges, carriage, and to make good any losses that may
accrue, which reduces the amount that he receives to a
sum only remunerative for the risk and charge which he
incurs. —Falnimal Packet,

The Goucester Sessions commenced on Wed-
neaday before the Duke of /3eaurore, the Marquis of
Woncesren, Earl BATIILIRST, Lord E. SOIIERSE.T, Lord
G. SoMßasxT, Lord APSLEY, Lord SHERBORNR, Lord
RenesnaLys Hon. Mr. DurroN, Hon. Mr. TREVOR, Sir
W. Sir B. W. Gutsx, Mr. CRITPS, AMP. &e.
There were several me* ix gaol on charges of machine-
breaking, and the Court immediately proceeded with their
trials. Twenty-four were first placed at the bar charged
with destroying a threshing-machine, the property of
Jam: HAYWARD, of Beverstone. Oa the 26th of No-
vember, the Fit,oners, accompanied by a large mob, went
to the prosecutor a house, and demanded higher wages.
They then broke his threshing-machine. The Jury found
all the prisoners guilty. Six of the same prisoners were
afterwards tried for destroying a threshing-machine be-
longing to Mr. HART, of Horsley. They were again
found guilty. Twelve prisoners were then indicted for
destroying a threshing-maehine belonging to the Rev. Alr.
CuesswELL, of Bilbury ; seven were indicted for de-
stroying a threshing-machine belonging to Mr.
frrlvro:r:ci:
Saturday,.'
of Fairford ; a,rui five were tried for rioting
nat
were sen-
,euxecner
when seven
theyley were‘ver caalillefdou unpdfogrujiultdyg

. _
tenced to fourteen years' transportation ; twenty to Nem,
years; one to imprisonment for three years ; two for tti.o
years; two for eighteen months; and the others to veriwia
terms of imprisonment.

A contract Las, we understand, just been signed in the
city, for a loan to eke Regency of Terceira, under circum-
stances of a very peculiar nature, of which the follow ng
may be taken as a tolerably correct statement :—lt will
be perfectly in the recollection of these at all conversant
with the financial affairs of Brazil and Portugal, that
under the convention by which the separatii.n of the two
countries took place in 1525, one of the stipulations was
for the payment of a sum of money, amounting to
about 2,000,0001. sterling, by Brazil to Portugal. 'This
debt was in course of liquidation when the usurpation of
Don Miguel took place, but all further remittances were
then stopped. At the time when the Portuguese Regency
Was first formed in this country, the members did not lose
sight of the advantages to be derived from the use of this
fund, and attempts were made consequently to estab'ish a
just claim to it in their behalf, but without effect so long
as they remained in England. The Brazilian Government,
though recoguising the right of Donna Maria H. to the
throne of Portugal, refused to treat with a Regency
which was fixed in a foreign country, and owned no spot in
the territory of Portugal. As soon, however, as the
Regency had repaired to Terceira, and assumed the
government in the name of the young Queen, the
I point was conceded by the Brazilian Government, that
a payment to the Regency of Donna Maria was. de
facto, a payment to Portugal, and their atknowledg-
ment consequently an acquittance of the debt. It was
proposed at first to place the instalments es they
came due at the disposal of the Regency, but as they
had many claims to meet, which made it ineligible to
wait for so distant a period, the alternative wes sitTge,tefl
of a loen, for the interest and redemption of which the
instalments might be assigned. This was objected to I.y
the Brazilian Government, which refused any direct con-
nection with such a transaction ; bat another proposition,
that the instalments should be paid to an agent in Europe,
duly authorized on the part of, the Regency to receive
them, did not meet with the same objections, and in effect
removed what was then the principal difficulty. It is,
therefore, one of the conditions of the new lean, that the
agents so appointed shall assign over to the contractors the
instalments of the Brazilian debt to Portugal respectively,
as they may arrive for the payment of the interest and
liquidation. The total amount of the loan is about
1,200,0001. stock, at five per cent. interest. The terms
are not exactly known, but as the basis was to be a certain
proportion to Brazilian stock, that would fix the price
at 50 or 51, in which ease it would produce for the tier-
vice of the Regency about 600,0001. sterling. This is the
whole that can yet be collected in the city on this subject.
This transaction explains the very sudden decline in
Brazilian stock which took place a few days back, as it
does in effect, if the above particulars are rightly stated,
increase to the extent of it the dept of Brazil in this
country. It is supposed that many of the holders have
sold largely in the hope of making a more favourable in-
♦ettment in the new stock. The price of the old stock is,
however, again recovering, and the last price to-day was
521 to 53.—Times.

SPIRT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS•

Nearly all the organs of public opinion in Belgium,
and a Li ge portion of the National Congress, have
pronounced a severe sentence on the protocol of
London, and the conduct of their diplomatic agents
who had considered it an unqualified recognition of
independence. Every expression in the document
is regarded with suspicion, or twisted into an offence.
Even the title of " the King of the Netherlands,"
which it necessarily employs as no other has yet
been coined, is considered as an insult to the Bel-
gians, though it ought to have been well known to
those patriotic critics, that Royal titles are not
changed in a day, and that the French lilies ap-
peared in the arms of England till the time of
George 111. The word "future independence,"
viewed through the same distorting medium, has
been construed into an intimation that Belgium is
not now independent, though the omnipotent Con-
gress has pronounced its awful decree. It required
a great deal of perverted ingenuity to find in these
and other expressions any studied insult to those
proud assertors of their country's honour. William
I. will doubtless take the title of King of Holland,
at the end of these negotiations, and the indepen-
dence of Belgium will long,' we trust, be future, in
the sense of the term, as employed in the protocol.
The Belgian diplomatic critics, in their more formal
objections, seerreto.be very ungrateful and very un-
reasonable. The five Powers have certainly no right
to dictate to the Belgic people what constitution or
law they shall adopt, or how they shall regulate their
internal affairs; but by the very appeal which has
been made to their Councils, they are acknowledged
as umpires in the settlement of international disputes,
which, if continued, might compromise their own
tranquillity. In short, notwithstanding the offence
taken at the expression, they have a right to dictate
in those external arrangements which may be thought
necessary to reconcile the future independence of
the new state with the preservation of the general
peace, and with what may appear to them the just
balance of power. As regards the interests of Bel-
gium, their intervention has been already serviceable,
and their power has never been abused. Their au-
thority has brought about a cessation of hostilities
preparatory to an armistice between the Belgians
and their former master, and has secured to the
former the free navigation of the Scheldt. Are these
benefits to be accepted without incurring any corre-
sponding obligations; and are the party thus favoured
anti protected,—thus relieved from the necessity of
obtaining doubtful rights, by the still more doubtful
Inizerd of a sanguinary war,—to make no sacrifice of
pride or prejudice for the general peace ? Is no
regard to be paid to the counsels of that part of the
alliance which, from the beginning, sympathized
with the feelings and protected the weakness of the
insurgents, in order to enable them to maintain
their friendly relations to each other, while they
restrain principles and check movements hostile to
the Belgians ? There ran be no doubt that but
for the friendly interposition of France and England,
the other three Powers, or Prussia alone, would
soon have enabled the King of the Netherlands to
recover his lost authority ; and it is neither very
wise or very grateful in the Belgians to exact such
eonditions, or to enforce such punctilios, as may
render the independence of the new state incom-
patible with the existence of the European alliance.
The great point in dispute is the province of Lux-
embnurg ; and whatever may be said of the rights
of the p: ogle of the Grand Duchy to assert their
union with Belgium, the protocol has decided
nothing against !hem. In recognizing the inde-
pendence of the new state, that document only
makes a prudent reserve of the claims of third parties
to a particular district. The explanation of this in-
solent and refractory conduct is easily found. The
Belgian; know, that from the relative position of the
different members of the alliance, they can open the
Temple of Discord when they please to he obsti-
nate, and therefore are disposed to take a dishonest
advantage of their benernctors. In the nomination
of a Sovereign the Allies hove not so direct an in-
terest as to warrant their interference, except in
circumstances where the connexions of the candidate
would necessarily lead to a change in the relative
situation of the Allies. Thus, the election of a
Prince of the House of Orleans to fill the new
throne would be considered as tantamount to an
union with France; and a Prussian Prince would be
objectionable on the same grounds. The Allies,
therefore, by passing the self-denying ordinance on
which they acted in the case of Greece, may pre,
vent this cause of jealousy, and secure themselves
against any contingency of quarrel. But the Belgian
Congress, with its usual peeversity, seems resolved
to throw inn the apple of discord whether it be taken
up or not. Three sections or committees of this
assembly have passed a vote in favour of a French
Prince, and one fie,ti:m has pronounced in favour
of a union with France. The result of the general
scrutiny is not yet known ; bue if we could fund out
what would be the most displeasing to the Minis-
terial Congress at London, we might safely predict
rue vote of the National Congress at Brussels.—

The agitators of the repeal of the Union in Ireland
seem determined to grapple with the law and with
the State as now existing; and indeed the war, the
preliminary battle,—namely, that of proclamations
and counter-proclamations—has been carried on for
some time with no common activity and bitterness.
Lord Anglesea, since his very recent arrival in
Dublin, has already issued two proclamations, and
thereby prevented the meeting of Mr. O'Connell and
his partisans, under the same number of successive
titles which they had assumed. But nick-names are
" as plenty as blackberries" with these gentlemen,
however scant they may be of reasons ;" and Mr.
O'Connell accordingly, on Thursday last, gave notice
of another anti-English christening, when the child's
designation was to undergo a new change from that
of society for the " Repeal of the Union," to tile
general " Association of Ireland, for the prevention
of unlawful meetings, and for the protection and
exercise of the sacred right of petitioning for a re-
dresc of grievances." We have heard before now
of the Devil quoting Scripture, when he happened
to have any thing of more than common 6ersle-eraft
ill his head, and we presume Lord Anglesea had
same suspicion that the above fine phrases, copied
from the venerable volume of the Constitution,
meant matters rather different from what the words
imported; seeing that, instead of writing a compli-
mentary letter to congratulate Mr. O'Connell on
his patriotic abhorrence of" unlawful meetings,"
and his zeal for the protection of acknowledged
rights, his Excellency appeared to take for granted
that the professions of tho Learned Agitator
were " all gammon ;" that dal scheme, when
stripped of its varnish of fine worse; was just
a new device, undc: a fresh form, for hsiarn•
ing the populace, and disturbing the public
safety ; and the Lord-Lieuw:ont in consequence
authorised Mr. Stanley to enforce the" Act for the
suppression of Dangerous Associations in Ire-
land," in aid of this very loyal and consekv.l.4iye
:effort of the anti-Union Parliament, " to prevent
mdaedel meetings," by proclaiming the said pre-
ventive meeting itself to be " a dangerous essocia-
tioo," mid prohibiting its assembling then or at spy
fawn: time. That the intent of the old associators
under the new is well described by the Lord,
Lieutenant. when he states that " under the shift
wizl device of preventing wii,"anful meetings, and of
protecting the rights of petition, the said associa-
tion sac been established really for the purpose of
intimida.e:ng the Magistracy of Ireland, ial.4 of con-
,;!rolling the exereile of lawful authority, anal. 4;,r
,other dangerous purposes,"—that such is the thee'.
:and unquestionable timatnngof this new mystitica-
•tion tom ted to by the taatious, thererect efficac can be little
doubt ; and whatever can be the diy of
such measures on the part of Government,
to-
wards the quelling of the mischievous sprit
in which the anti-Union plot originated, that
every day's collision will help more clearly
no to d
e-
velop and expose its real object, we arel
thoroughly satisfied. What, then, is to be done ?
;. from Dublin, and from the