The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-30 00:00:00

SUMM4UY GF 11A1

AND
Vutitir Optuton.

" Who runs may read."

PUBLIC OPINION.

The Morning Post, speaking in its usual reckless
fashion, of the present Administration, thus defines the
chief feature of its policy :—" All is to them (Ministers)
but chance. The guidance of principle is unknown to
them. They ask for no certainty beyond that of place
and pay for themselves. The nation is to them nothing
but a theatre for experiments." This definition, which
is wide of the mark when applied to the Whigs, is sin-
gularly appropriate when applied to the Tories. The
allusion, in particular, about the want of a guiding prin-
ciple is a hit between wind and water. Where is the
principle—except indeed that of self•interest—which
the Tories have proposed as the guide and guardian
of their policy ? The Whigs adopted and acted
on the three great principles of Peace, Reform,
and Retrenchment, and of late they have hoisted
the colours of free trade. Will the Post vouschafe to
show us the principles on which the Tories propose to
act ? We have read their great leader's speeches with
some attention ; but have found nothing in them at all
remarkable save the absence of anything like a declara-
tion of principle. There is no substantial political nu-
triment in them. There is not even an approach to a
vague " Manifesto." And yet our Contemporary has
the effrontery to assure us that the Tories have princi-
ple, and the Whigs have none ! We repeat, what we
have said a hundred times already, that the Tories ac-
knowledge no other rule of conduct than that of a pal-
try, purblind, cunning expediency. Were they to legis-
late in any other spirit, they would at once cease to be
Tories.

The Herald is delighted with the English Colonial
Bishopric project, and speaks of it as being " magnani-
mous and philanthropic." If magnanimity consist in ex-
tending Church temporalities, and philanthropy in multi-
plying the breed of Bishops, then we agree with our
Contemporary that the project is all that it should be ;
but we are yet to learn that Episcopacy is likely to prove
a blessing to our colonies. We have not found it one in
England hitherto.

The Times delicately hints its apprehensions that,
in the coming Parliament, it is not unlikely that the
Whigs will support the Ballot, in which case we are
assured that they will " be steadily and uniformly re-
sisted by the Conservatives." Of course they will, for
were the 13allot once granted, away for ever would go
all Tory majorities in town and county ; Carlton Club
funds would no longer be available at elections ; and Sir
James Graham would be compelled—from the want of a
constituency capable of appreciating his worth—to retire
into the calm bosom of domestic felicity ! But why is
our Contemporary so specially severe on the Ballot, be-
cause it is " a device to facilitate lying ?" Has he such
an innate horror of lying that he cannot endure any pro-
ject that facilitates it, or is he anxious to have a mono-
poly in this line—to keep the faculty of " enormous
mendacity" to himself ?

The Chronicle asserts that the reason why the
Tories are so anxious to make their thirteen projected
Colonial Bishops independent of the Crown, is, because
they " wish to secure to the Church the supremacy over
the Crown." Not a doubt of it. Ecclesiastical tyranny
has ever been the favourite weapon of the Tories ; but
though it has so long been their greatest strength, it will,
ere long, become their greatest weakness. The Church
will be one of the sunken rocks on which the faction will
be sure to founder.

The Advertiser, speculating on the probable policy
of Sir Robert Peel, says that it is certain that " he has
determined on detaching himself from the chariot wheels
of pure Toryism." What is this, but saying in so many
express words, that he has not a principle to act upon,
so is resolved to be guided by expediency—to trust to
the chapter of accidents for a continuance of his power.
The Right Hon. Baronet is a great expediency-monger ;
but to trust solely to expedients, is at best but steering
among quick-sands.
The Worcester Chronicle states that the event
which has intoxicated the Tories with the prospect of re-
gaining the Paradise of office will restore to the Whigs
their former fearlessness and energy; and that the seat
of " Sir Robert Peel, as Prime Minister, will be as un-
easy as the couch of Damocles the Syracusan, when he
viewed the shining sword suspended over him by a single
hair."

The Cheltenham Examiner confidently anticipates
the speedy overthrow of Sir Robert Peel and his ill-
assorted party, regarding them, notwithstanding their
majority, as a mere " rope of sand in Parliament."
It is the decided opinion of the Preston Chronicle
that Sir Robert Peel's Government will be based upon
the principle of resistance to all change in the laws and
institutions of the country, until resistance has become
hopeless.