The Sun.
London, England, 1822-03-02 00:00:00

On the motion of Sir M. W. RIDLEY in the
Committee of Supply last night, the House of
Commons reduced by two thousand pounds the
grant for Admiralty salaries and expences,
thereby abolishing the offices of the two Junior
Lords. By the large majority which carried this

measure, it should seem that Ministers had indi-
rectly given up the point. The grounds upon
which the Opposition speakers rested their vote
are worthy of serious attention. Sir M. RID-
LEY gave two reasons for his motion ; first,
the necessity of relieving the country ; and,
secondly, that of reducing the influence and
patronage of Ministers : he confessed that the
first object was comparatively trifling, from
the smallness of the sum to be retrenched,
and that his true, leading purpose was to weaken
the hands of Government. The sum of 20001.
it was observed, is scarcely felt in the general
expenditure of the country, but by the bestowing
of that sum, two votes are secured to Minis-
ters and taken from Opposition, and those two
votes would almost have turned the scale
on Thursday night, against the Salt Tax.—
It is important that" the views of Opposition, ;
whether laudable or otherwise, should be clearly
understood by the nation. If economy be the
object, let that object be professed ; but if the
purpose be to diminish the influence of the Crown,
let the nation be distinctly appealed to upon
that point, and called upon to sanction the
measure for its own sake. This is not done. In
the debate last eight it was hardly pretended that
the reduction in point of expence would be a ma-
terial acquisition ; it was generally understood that
the enfeebling of Government was the true point
to be carried; yet the burden of every Opposition
Speech throughout the debate was " national
distress," and it was by this clamour principally,
if not solely, that Ministers were compelled to
resign that object, of which, on other occasions,
they had bee❑ successfully tenacious. The same
plan of operations is carrying on by Mr. Husic
and his supporters on every side. The Ho-
nourable Member for Aberdeen insists upon
the abolition of seven offices at, the head
of the Marine Corps, although it has confessedly
been the practice to bestow these as rewards
upon naval men of the highest character, and in-
disputably entitled by their services to public
reverence and gratitude. But Mr. HusiE thinks
it would be better that these rewards should be
dealt out at the discretion of Parliament, in the
shape of pensions, than bestowed at the Royal
pleasure in the form of honorary offices. Again,
the Hon. Member considers it to be the expec-
tation of the country, that all offices, including,
" the highest," should be curtailed in their emo-
luments by one-fourth. He is " not disin-
clined" to the due splendour of the Royal
dignity, but he thinks that, " under the present
circumstances of the country," the extraordinary
state and ostentation of the Monarchy are by
far too great." Thus, under the plea of relie-
ving a present National Distress, are objects to
be carried, which, if displayed to the public in
their true Point of view, as Constitutional chan-
ges, would rouse, alarm, and stir up indig-
nant opposition. Amidst the outcry for pe-
cuniary relief, not only is the Public ser-
vice to be embarrassed, but the very ba-
lance of the State is to be irreparably disturbed ;
and the people are to be bribed to acquiescence
by the gain of a few sums, which cannot produce
the least sensible improvement in the condition
of any individual throughout the country. We
consider it most important that the public atten-
Von should be fixed upon this subject, as it is
not always recollected that the Constitution may
be as fatally attacked in a dry discussion of Esti-
mates, as in a Committee on the State of the
Nation.

The consequence of Sir M. RIDLEY'S success
will be a saving to the public of 20001. a-year, and,
possibly, a loss to Government of two Parlia-
mentary supporters. Notwithstanding their di-
vision of last night, we believe the Opposition to
be in much more urgent want of two votes than
the nation, with all its distresses, of 2,0001.

Messrs. llonifousE and Alderman WOOD pre-
sented Petitions from Blackburn and Bolton
(Lancashire), in behalf of Mr. HUNT. At Bol-
ton they think Mr. HUNT ought not to be con-
fined any longer. It will be remembered that
Mr. W. I,Amn observed very sensibly on Thurs-
day night, that a rabble who break windows and
assault passengers ought not to be quoted in
Parliament as " the people !" Mr. Ilonnousu
thinks this an aristocratical exclusion. It may
indeed affect his own dignity if he should suc-
ceed, by reversion or otherwise, to the honour-
able post of " Man of the People."

The motion made on Thursday for repealing
the Salt Tax was a new attempt to derange the
financial plan lately submitted to the House of
Commons, and approved of by that body. The
effect of the measure, if carried, would have been
to reduce the sum of five millions set apart for
the Sinking Fund, or to compel a material retrench.
meet of expenditure, which it is much easier
to recommend than to point out judicious modes
of accomplishing. No doubt it would be very
desirable to see the Salt Tax, as well as many
others, repealed, if such a step were practicable,
but the vessel of the State must not be lightened
all on one side. The Agriculturists, (whose
distresses were a principal topic on this occasion)
have been promised an abatement of the Malt-
Tax, at the expence of the 5 per cent. Stock-
holders, and other measures are contemplated for
their relief.—Must the Sinking-Fund be crippled
also, to satisfy the Farmers ?

0! Jura nisissorum ilia!

We received this morning the Paris Papers of
Wednesday. It is affirmed, in an article from
Augsburg, that a further delay has been granted
to the Porte, to answer in a satisfactory ,runner
to the Russian Ultimatum. This delay will ex-
pire on the 15th of March, when, in all proba-
bility, war will he declared, as the Turks do
not appear disposed to accede to the propositions
of Russia. Such we believe to be the general
impression throughout the South of Germany,
from our private sources of information. The
Cabinet of Vienna is stated to have modified its
policy, and not to be disinclined to join the
Powers who demand guarantees for the execution
of an arrangement favourable to the Greeks. On
the other hand the intelligence from Constanti-
nople to the 25th of January, expresses hopes
of the continuance of peace, founded on the fre-

quent conferences of the English and Austria'n
Ambassadors with the Dragomans of the Porte,
and the removal of CALEB EFFENDI (the all-
powerful favourite) from the person of the Sultan,
who is considered to have been the principal
opposer of peace with Russia ; but we have
reason to suppose that the Sultan himself is
the most hostile to the demands of Russia,
and that his opposition is not likely to be_
weakened by • the determined • adherence of
the Emperor ALEXANDER to conditions which
are considered as highly derogatory to the dig-
nity of the Ottoman Throne, and as subjecting
her to the perpetual interference and dictation
of the Russian Court. The Schah of Persia has
not signed the treaty of peace with the Porte,
and the war still continues on the frontiers. This
diversion of part of the Ottoman forces from the
contest with the Greeks is highly favourable
to the cause of the latter, and has com-
pelled the Pachas opposed to them to act on
the defensive ; but they have been obliged to
retreat before the victorious Greeks, particu-
larly in Thessaly, where the Turks retain pos-
session of only one town, Larissa, which, being
unfortified, will not long hold out. It is grati-
fying to observe that as soon as the country is
delivered from the presence of its oppressors, the
inhabitants proceed to the formation of regular
Provincial. Governments, each of which have
sent one, two, or three deputies, according to its
extent, to the National Congress at Argos. The
Turkish fleet is reported to have sailed again for the
Archipelago, to attempt the re-conquest of the
Morea ; but the moat unfavourable accounts for
the Greeks are those brought from. Alexandria.
The Pacha of Egypt, it seems, has been induced,
by the promise of having undisturbed possession
of Candia from the Porte, to equip a second ex-
pedition for the Greek seas, consisting of six
large ships of war and twenty smaller vessels, on
board of which are several thousand troops and
a quantity of ammunition and provisions. It is
conjectured they will be directed against that
island, which has long been an object of desire
to the Pacha.

The French Five per Cents. which closed on
Tuesday at 91f. 60c. fell 14- per Cent. on Wed-
nesday, in consequence of a new attempt made to
excite disturbances at Saumur, by a General
BERTIION, who, at the head of 50 men, had ap-
peared at Saumur and hoisted the tri-coloured
flag. They were attacked by the municipal
guard ; several were killed ; the greater portion
of the remainder were apprehended and im-
prisoned but their leader escaped with a few
others.

(Extract of a Letter from the Agent to Lloyds, at Constanti-
nople, dated 25th January.]

" The Turkish fleet, or at least a portion of it,
has sailed from the Dardanelles, with troops and
provisions, supposed for the Morea. There is no
account here of the proceedings of the Insurgent
squadron."

IRELAND.—We stated yesterday by mistake
that the County of Limerick, with the exception
of the City of Limerick and its Liberties, had
been placed under the operation of the Insurrec-
tion Act.—The provisions of the Act are also
applied to the south Liberties of the County and
City of the City of Limerick. The City and
Liberties of Cork are exempted ; but the Magis-
trates haie memorialized the Loan LIEUTENANT,
praying that the Liberties may be included in the
application of the Act to the,County of Cork.—
Cornelius Rylakan, John Mahony, and Daniel
Breen, were executed on Sunday morning
at Churchtown, pursuant to their sentence.—
On Saturday night a party of insurgents attacked
Ballynoe-house, the seat of WILLIA?tI Cox, Esq.
in the County of Limerick. Some resistance
having been made, the wretches murdered DENIS
BROWNE, a faithful servant, by shooting him
through the heart. Accounts from Newcastle
state that last week forty cows were stolen from
a place called Killoready, and that several others
were houghed ; a house was burned at Lisanskate ;
at Dougehy, a poor man 70 years of age was unmer-
cifully flogged; a servant man was fired at ; some
houses near Camas were burned ; as was also a house
nearC room, and several others in the village of Cap-
pagh. TheCastlebar Papers describe the state of the
peasantry, in the County of Mayo, as being ex-
tremely wretched. 66 Potatoes," they say, " rose
in our market on Saturday, to the alarming price
of 6d. per stone. The wretchedness and po-
verty which exist at present in and about this
town exceed belief, and the prospect for the
spring and summer is dismal indeed. It is not
uncommon to see a man spending the greater
part of the day in re-digging ground from which
potatoes had been dug in the season, and taking
home, in the evening, the few that, upon this
second search, he discovers in the earth, as the
only sustenance which he can provide for a fa-
mishing family. Perhaps a more persuasive proof
of the poverty that prevails could not be ad-
vanced, and it may be seen in almost every po-
tatoe-field about us."—ln a district of Clare,
we understand, there is also a great scarcity of
potatoes. .

From Charlestown, Jan. (28.—Capt. WESTON,
who left Havannah the 15th ult. reports, that
Capt. PERKINS, of the schooner Upton, had his
vessel and cargo destroyed by a piratical schooner,
off Cape Antonio. Captain P. and his crew were
' put on a desolate island, near Cape Antonio,
where they remained four days without any sus-
tenance, when they were taken off by a Spanish
dogher. Two other vessels were destroyed at
the same time; one an English brig, the Captain
of which they hung at the main-yard and shot
him ; they killed the cook by splitting his head
open with an axe.
The Privy Council held by his MAJESTY at
his palace at Brighton on Thursday, commenced
at six o'clock, which was attended by, in addition
to the Lord President, the Lord Steward, the
Marquis of CIIOLMONDELEY, Lord St. lILLExs,
Sir BENJAMIN BLOOMFIELD, and Mr. THORNTON.
An alteration in the pricked list of Sheriffs for
the present year was sanctioned by the KING in
Council. His MAJESTY gave an audience to the
Earl of HARROWBY. •

Lord ORFORD'S Memoires of his own Times,
was published Tins DAY.