The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-12 00:00:00

[BRITISH PRESS.]

Lord Althorp brought forward a very weak
and ill-advised motion last night, respecting a
convict of the name of Hughes, transported from
Ireland some time since for administering illegal
oaths, and seducing individuals to become mem-
bers of the Riband Lodges in Ireland. The
motion of the Noble Lord went to charge Lord
Wellesley's Government with a breach of faith in
the deportation of this man ; as if a treaty could
have been entered upon by the GoVernment of
the Noble Marquis, with a body of men, or their
delegates, engaged in secret associations of the
most illegal tendency, and a dangerous conspiracy
-against the fundamental laws and institutions of
the land. It may be unfortunately necessary
sometimes, in dangerous exigencies, for a Govern-
ment to treat with traitors, and let an individual
go unscathed, for the purpose of getting to the
bottom of a secret league, and thus timely pre-
venting the consequences that might otherwise
follow without prevention. But what Govern-
ment could be weak and infatuated enough to
listen to such propositions as those strangely made
bya gentleman of the Irish bar, on the part of a
Convicted felon, whose Counsel it appears he was
The object of the Irish Government, in the pro-
secution of Hughes, tho -ftiband Leader, was to I
extinguish, if poisible, all dangerous secret asso-
ciations,among which the Riband Lodges were Cort.
spicuous; and was Lord Wellesley's Government,
after he had been convicted on the strongest evi-
dence, weakly to free this man from his sentence,
that he might make a mock procession through
the county of Kildare, and the neighbouring
_ones, where the haunts of the Ilibboninen were
established, and while he (Hughes) openly
af-
fected to preach submission to them, secretly
take every measure to confirm these deluded in-
dividuals in their worst prejudices and engage-
ments ? Any such act on the part of the Irish
Government would have been most weak, and
deserving of the strongest ridicule and condemna-
tion. If any well founded charges can be brought
igalnit the broad general policy or integrity of Lord
Wellesley's Government since he went to Ireland,
let therm be made, and they will be fairly met,
and as fully refuted ; but paltry skirmishing of
this sort, with a few convicts and Ribboomen in
the flanks of the Noble Lord and his party, only
shews the utter weakness of those who would be
serious enemies, if they had the means or strength
to enable them to act with any real effect.—
Had the Irish Government or any of its members
been so weak as to enter into a treaty with the
convicted Riband Leader, and loose him in his
hopeful mission to further mischief, like an un-
niuzzled blood-hound, then indeed Lord Al-
thorp's motion of censure, in different language,
and with better grounds, might justly be brought
forward, and call down well deserved censure
hem a large majority on the heads of that Ad-
ministration who could be so culpably infatuated.
All secret Associations, particularly in Ireland,
are most dangerous and illegal ; and that of the
Ribandmen, though inferior in guilt and atrocity
to the Orange Societies, is yet criminal and alarm-
ing in a very high degree. The Ribandrnan, on
being initiated into .ti!is Association, swears as
follows :—" I, Thomas Hughes (the convict in
" question), with the sign of the Cross do declare
" and. promise, in the name and through the es-
" Sistauce of the Blessed Trinity, that I will en-
cc deavour to keep inviolate all the secrets of this
"' Board, or Fraternal Society, from all but those
" whom I believe to be the regular members,
"and.bound in the same fraterual ties.".. This is
a most.formidable oath,l If there be nothing im-
proper in the spirit and object of this 'combina-
tion,-why this solemn abjuration 'and pledge of
secresy? Can the Government of Ireland sup-
press. the ()range Associations with one hand,
acid, with the other let a Ribboti 'Council loose ?,
WoUld this b,e equal and impartial justice ?
Nypula it be e?ccutted tip the mockery of; a, ge-
neral surrender, and the suppression of, the entire
cUufgdp.ra..tiun on ..the deputed .Mission and, sum-
mons of ,t 4 Tlwe is no Govern-
Gent of. spnl.2 or discretion but must. have laughed
such s prop.eft!itiori as Lord,Althorp stated to ,

utter scorn. The Noble Lord's. motion had the
fate we expected ;
_it fell dead-born before the
entire House ; it had nothing to give it support,
and was negatived even without the formality of
a weak division.

[THE TIMES.]
A Meeting of the 'vVard of Farringdon
Without was held yesterday, for the purpose of
considering about petitions for the repeal of the
Assessed Taxes. It is, to be sure, not a little
extraordinary that a Minister, when he under-
takes the duty of abolishing taxes, should lose
sight of the order in which they are naturally
imposed. The course, as we take it, in the
first imposition of taxes is, to begin with
luxuries, and to delay as long as possible any
burden upon the necessaries of life. If, for in-
stance, in a new society, the question were whe-
ther silk robes or glass windows should bear the
first visits of the tax-gatherer, no humane or reason-
able man would hesitate to give precedence to the
silk. A lady may enjoy innumerable comforts
notwithstanding the high price of satin ; but
light and air are indispensable to the poor ; and
to the lowest degree of poverty these gifts of
Heaven are the most precious. What, then,
would be the obvious method with a considerate
Minister in removing the public imposts I Wou!d
it not be to release the necessaries of life before
its luxuries, thus observing the inverse order in
which the exactions on both were established

NEW TIMES.]
The Funds yesterday again experienced a fluc-
tuation of about per cent.; but at the close of
business left oil' at an improved price, the ac-
counts from Paris, which were received to Tues-
day evening, being of a more explicit and wig-
factory nature. The fall in Paris on Nonday
appears to have been produced entirely from the
operations within the Exchange, and unconnected
with any political event arising in that capital.--
It is supposed that when the account of the sta-
bility of the British Funds, and the production
of the Papers in Parliament, to which is ascribed
the decline in the Reaps, is received, a re-action
will take place, notwithstanding the high price
at which they continue even at present, being
about par. The price at which purchases were
yesterday made was 100 f. 50 c., and Scrip 15
both exclusive of the Dividend. Consols for the
Account opened at On, declined to 92-4-, and
closed at 931. Some decline in price took place
in India Stock in consequence of the reports from
China, but as the books are at present closed
for public transfer, some sacrifice must be made
in obtaining a sale in a stock not frequently in
demand, although bearing a high value. The
last price was for the opening of the books 280 ;
and we are assured by parties well versed in In-
dia affairs, that the present differences are not
of so serious a nature as interested individuals
would wish to make the public believe. European.
Securities have recovered from the depression of
Wednesday, and are all quoted higher. Austrian
Scrip, 12 premium ; Russian Bonds, 9-11,-; Prus-
sian, 09 ; and the New 951. Spanish Bonds re-
main nominally at 20 and 17, and are likely to
Continue as low, notwithstanding certain puffs
preliminary.