The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-21 00:00:00

Britain, who must he theirA.r.tx rrELAMON, they
dare not offer more than their protest as an im-
pediment to the re-conquest of Spanish America.
It is therefore mere verbiage when they talk of
their opposition to continental policy, calcu-
lated, I repeat, solely for effect ; and the
refusal of the krerican President to communi-
cate to Congress the overtures he has received
from European powers upon the subject, lest it
should compromise the public interest, is a species
Of political coquetry. If the United States
should, single-handed, oppose France (supposing
the French Government inclined to support the
Spanish cause in South America), their success
against the superior navy and resources of France
is very problematical indeed ; the French people
therefore smile at Brother JONATHAN'S angry
tone and his empty threats. The .French Admini-
stration is too much occupied with their embryo
Legislature to be able to devote, at this moment,
much time to foreign affairs; but if the result of
their present struggle with their opponent, for
power, shall continue them in office, you will
find that the cause of legitimacy, in the Cabinet,
is not dead but sleepeth.'
" The French Government has just received a
communication from Government with a Decree
of FERDINAND who, in compliance with the
wishes of the people, it is said, has issued a Pro-
clamation, giving all the world freedom of trade
to Spanish America, subject to equal duties.—
This is considered by some as a " sop to Ger-
berus," will) a view to lessen the opposition of
Great Britain to the re-conquest of the Spanish
colonies ; but I rather think it has an additional
object, namely, to satisfy France, by opening
to her the trade of the Spanish Americas, which
she could not otherwise enjoy in her present po-
litical relations with Spain.
64 My opinion with respect to the general situ-
ation of Spanish America is not in accordance
with the many, for I verily believe, from some
authority, that their present circumstances, though
captivating to the Commercial men of England,
are far from auspicions ; and that they want that
solidity and character so essential to our deriving
national advantage from the intercourse. Spanish
America will, for many years to come, be disor-
ganized, and must endure the evils inseparable
from the intermediate state of despotism and
freedom, if even she ceases to encounter danger
from without. The people of that Continent are
not prepared for that degree of freedom which
their professed plans of government promise ;
they have innumerable difficulties to encounter,
and innumerable prejudices to destroy, beyond
our ordinary calculations, ere their final arrange-
ment, the accomplishment of which has been
hitherto prevented by the presence of a common
enemy ; and in the mean time the various States
will absorb by their necessities much of our sur-
plus capital, and the return of our wealth will
be uncertain, and its security doubtful. It is
true that our manufactories will be employed,
and our commercial energies occupied by them,
but the result will prove that the partial benefit
is a general evil ; that, like the Loan contracted
for the payment of the debt of Austria by British
capital, it will be. robbing Peter to pay Paul.'
The aggregate of our national wealth will be di-
minished, and the advantages may hereafter be
reaped by others, and particularly by our enter-
prizing competitors of North America, who are
rapidly advancing in cotton and other manufac-
tures, and about to impose further duties for their
protection.
46 It is to me, I confess, astonishing, that the
people of England can imagine the South Ame-
ricans are to be so suddenly divested of their
characteristic habits of apathy and indolence, and
as rapidly matured with all the enterprize
and energy of the people of North America, so
as to profit by the various and abundant resources
of their country. If such a result is the certain
consequence of liberal institutions, how did it
happen that Old Spain, with her Ultra liberal
Cortes, presented such poverty of spirit, and such
supineness in action ? Every plan of their projection,
and every measure of their adoption, bespoke the
unaltered and proverbial character of their nation;
and the Spanish Americans generally have these
vices of their Parent State, increased, if pos-
sible, by the enervating influence of a climate
less propitious to moral and physical exertion.
As an exception does not negative the rule, the
example of energy, displayed by some indivi-
duals, does not impeach the truth of this con-
clusion against them.
" With respect to the question of a projected
alliance with North America in aid of the Spa-
nish Colonies, I must lament its possibility. To-
wards the people of the States I feel a strong at-
tachment ; they are scions of our parent stern,
their courage and their enterprize demand our
admiration, and make us proud of a common ori-
gin ; but I deprecate, on behalf of the British
Government, a political association of Monarchi-
cal England with Republican America, and I
should deplore the circumstances of a connection
more intimate than the one which now exists,
as pregnant with the greatest danger to our fu-
ture welfare. Lot us extend to the United
States the utmost courtesy, and let our sentiments
towards them be love and liberality, but let us
avoid the influence of their morals and their man-
ners. There is, I admit, a leaven of excellence in

the United States, but compared with the mass
of population its quantity is insignificant, and its
progress lamentably difficult and slow. Time will
subdue probably the crudities of their natures,
and render them more worthy of our respect and
affection.

" With the views I entertain on the question
of Spanish America, you will not be surprised
that I hail his Majesty's Speech to Parliament
as a pledge that England will not engage, unless
her interests are attacked, in a war with the Con-
tinent of Europe ; for though we must, as Eng-
lishmen, wish success to the cause of Spanish
America, our national policy forbids our inter-
ference. A few years will determine, with the
continuance of their present successes, whether
the Spanish Americans are worthy of independ-
ence, and capable of maintaining it. If they are
not divided in sentiment respecting the advan-
tages derivable from their separation from Spain,
and the creation of new Institutions, not all the
combined Powers of Europe can subdue them;

if, on the contrary, they have yet to !cam the
value of liberty,twenty thousand Spanish soldiers
will re-unite them to Old Spain. By delaying
therefore the recognition of their independence,
we do the Spanish Americans no injustice, we
deny them no substantive benefit. We practice
only that prudent caution and reserve which the
magnitude of the subject demands, our sense
of justice requires, and our dignity as a nation
imposes."

[From t7,c Memorial Bordclth.]
We learn from St. Pierre (Martinique), that a
party of the Militia have been disarmed, and that
the same measure has been resorted to at Fort
Royal. Four hundred troops, which arrived
from France, came in good time to reinforce the
garrison. Fifteen Mulattos were arrested the
moment the plot was discovered, and put on
board a French frigate in the Bay of St. Pierre,
on the day that the above arrest took place. On
the 23d December, at eleven o'clock at night, a
Mulatto, named Germain Saint Aude, threw
himself into the sea, and being expert at swim-
ming, he escaped.

We understand that the KING has been gra-
ciously pleased to make a munificent donation to-
wards the establishment of an Infant School at
Brighton, under the auspices of Mr. lons SMITH,
M.P. on the model of Mr. OWEN'S Infant School
at New Lanark. These institutions are now ra-
pidly multiplying throughout the country. That
in Westminster, established by Mr. BROUGHAM
and a few of his friends,' was recently visited by
the Countess of LivEttroor., who, we believe,
was much gratified by the interesting scene which
it presented.

At last we can present our readers with that
Decree of FERDINAND VII., of which so oft a
' note of preparation had been sounded in the
Journal des Dj'bats. The Decree, in truth, proves
to be any thing rather than that which its pre-
vious character would have induced simple con.
fiding people to expect. It is NOT a Decree to
ope❑ a free commerce with the Spaniards of the
trans-Atlantic continent. On the contrary, it is
a Decree to tell the world that Old Spain
will prohibit that commerce so soon as she
shall possess the means of prohibiting it ef-
fectually ; and that she only allows it now,
because its prevention is beyond her power.—
We rejoice very much at this premature disclo.
sure• it tells the commercial world what it has to
expect ; it leaves the willing or intentional dupes
no ground to stand upon, and offers a defence to
their opponents. It makes it clear to all the
world that South America must now be free--
must be mistress of her own municipal policy and
foreign relations, or that she must be the mere
fief of the wise
resERDINAND—as much his pro-
perty as the petticoat which he is said to have
made and embroidered with his own hands, and
put round the statue of the Virgin :MARY.—
( Tim es .)

1 His MAJESTY.----An amusing little daily publi-
cation, entitled, The Minerva and Fashionable
• Gazette, appears to confirm the report that HIS
t a o
r tk}
i MoAv.ie Est.
Ga
ran
Ty.
to visit Drury-lane,
C nand the Opera-House.
Yesterday morning the Duke and Duchess of
CA
and proceeded
CE left
Bushes P e
Kin's Palace, at
in their travelling
Kensington, on a visit to the Duchess of KENT.
g
The Royal Duke proceeded to his residence in
the King's Palace, St. James's.
. carriage,LnEN
The Duchess of GLoucesnit visited the Duke
of CLAEENCE yesterday afternoon.
The Duke of CLARENCE, about three o'clock,
went to Greenwich, on a visit to the Governor of
the Hospital, Srr RICHARD KEATs.
DIIKE OF KENT'S STATIIE.---TtliS day at eleven'
o'clock the Statue of his ;loyal Highness, erected
at the top of Portland Place, was opened to the
public. On this occasion the Comptroller of the
Household of the Duchess, and several friends of
his Royal Highness were present. This Statue
forms a noble object, and the situation is well
chosen.—lt is of bronze, representing the Duke
in his Parliamentary Robes, and supported on a
pedestal of granite.
THE ORPHAN TAx•—The secret history of
the origin of this Tax was not stated by any
person, yesterday, at the meeting for the improve-
ment of the streets of the metropolis.—
' A reference
.to the Journals of the House of
Commons will shew, that the then Master of the
Rolls, and several Members of the House, were
expelled for receiving bribes from the Corpora-
tion of London for their votes and support of the
Bill which imposed this Tax on the metropolis.
The Act of Queen ANN, mentioned by Alderman
WOOD, for building Churches, had no relation ,
to it, which had long since expired, and the duty ,
imposed by it carried to the Consolidated Fund. •
___

SIR WILLIAM BEECHY.----We sincerely regret
that a very illiberal attack upon the professional
talents of this Gentleman recently appeared in
a Morning Paper. It is lamentable that men of
great genius and exemplary domestic worth
should be thus subject to anonymous hostility.—
But the professional reputation of this excellent
artist and estimable man cannot be affected by
such attacks ; for while he continues to enjoy the
patronage of the most distinguished personages
in the country, be may bid defiance to the
despicable assaults of ignorance, malevolence,
and invidious competition.
THE SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL
IN FOREIGN PARTS.-The Anniversary Meeting
of this excellent Institution was held yesterday,
at Bow Church, when the Bishop of EXETER
preached a most admirable sermon, pointing out,
in a most powerful and luminous manner, the
great objects of the Institution. In the course of the
sermon, he took occasion to notice the proposed
Ecclesiastical Establishments in the British
West Indies, and pointed out, in a strain of
chastened eloquence and pious zeal, the important
advantages which cannot fail to result to all
classes of the public in those settlements. We
hope this admirable discourse will be FORTHWITH
printed, and that in future the Society's transac-
tions will be published during the Sitting of Par-
liament.