The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-20 00:00:00

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LONDON. TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1847.

Queen IS ADELLA is at length being cheered on in
her Constitutional policy by the enthusiasm of the
Spaniards. A marvellous contrast is presented be-
tween the sombre multitudes assembled along the
causeways of Madrid for the reception of the Due DE
MomxpEicsißß, and the uproarious crowds collected
together in the same of the locality for the laudation
youthful IssatELLA. It were absurd, never-
theless, to place any extraordinary reliance upon
a popularity whose very suddenness and ecstasy is an
indication of its evanescence and fickleness. Much, however, may be accomplished in the event of her
Spanish MAJESTY availing herself of these
extrava-
gant expressions of loyalty, and of effectually
strangling the nearly exhausted faction, by whose
execrable selfishnesstheFe
The initiativenmsulahasnneairllasy
deprived of its nationality.

" Crasse de Poisivete—
learns by rote the political amulet of his patron
GUIZOT—

" Fide la Liberte !
A bas la Liberie !"

It is very romantic and
.picturesque, no doubt, for
the Queen ISABELLA to receive coronals of flowers
from her loving lieges when taking an airing in her
carriage, and it is still more romantic and still more
picturesque for her MAJESTY to shelter a carrier pigeon
(adorned with the national ribbons) in her lap.
But, gratifying as these incidents may be to her sus-
ceptible, and apparently not volatile disposition,
Queen ISABELLA must not rest satisfied with the
fleeting jubilations of the hour. Her Most Catholic
MAJESTY must remember that she is only now welcomed
with these affectionate eccentricities because of the
hopes she is inspiring—not because of the good she has
yet accomplished, but because of the good she promises
to accomplish. Let ISABELLA 11. bear this in recol-
lection, or the paroxysm of love and gladness may be
followed by a paroxysm of abhorrence and despera.
tion. That tide in her affairs has arrived
which, " taken at the flood," may conduce to a pro-
tracted, prosperous, and glorious reign. Let not
that auspicious flood subside without some cor-
responding movement. Let not the golden op-
portunity float past like a vision of the morning.
Iberia is by no means freed from her relentless anta-
gonists--from those enemies to her independent
existence, who, by their hypocrisy, are more formi-
dable than declared foes. As the Edinburgh Review
observes, " MAcurAvEL would have admired the
skill with which the game of the MONTPENSIER
marriages was played by the French Government ;"
and as it was such a masterpiece of diplomatic cun-
ning, it requires more than one convulsion to
be rid of its consequences. Like the system
adopted by SINBAD the Sailor, the grape must
be pressed, the juice fermented, and the potion im-
bibed, before the old monster can be shaken off, and
brained with his own calabash ! Unless the libera
policy of Queen ISABELLA be more fully developed
we shall infallibly see a disastrous re-action.

The attention of the House of Lords was last night
directed by the Marquis of WESTMEATH to the
painful scene which took place the other day at Bury
St. Edmund's, where the extreme sentence of the
law was carried into execution on the person of
CATHERINE FOSTER, who had been found guilty of
having poisoned her husband. In consequence
of the unskilful manner in which the execu-
tioner discharged the dreadful functions of

his office, the unfortunate woman was kept in such
protracted agony that the feelings of the spectators
were completely shocked ; and the most vehement
expressions of indignation escaped the lips of the
surrounding multitude, which amounted to several
thousands. Even if the above were a solitary instance
in which the extreme penalty had been put in force
in a manner revolting to public sentiment, it could
not be properly passed over in silence, because, as the
end of public executions is to present a dread
warning to the people that the deprivation of life will
be the certain punishment of those found guilty of
committing crimes of the highest magnitude, so is it
of the utmost consequence to public morals, and with
the view of rendering the solemn spectacle of an exe-
cution as efficacious as possible as a salutary example,
that, when the majesty of the law is thus vindi-
cated, every care should be taken that indignation
against the authorities does not. usurp the solemn

reflections which it is intended should be generated

within the precincts of the scaffold. But these
shocking mishaps have become too frequent of late
not to require something more than a passing re-
buke. When TAWELL was hanged, for the murder
of SARAH HART, his torture was said to have been
unnecessarily prolonged through some defective ma-
nagement of the apparatus of death; and very recently,
when WELSH and MATHEWS expiated their crimes at
M orpeth, a most harrowing exhibition of protracted
suffering took place, owing to the ropes placed round

their necks being too long. The consequence was,
the feet of the wretched men found a resting place,
and in that position they ejaculated the most piteous
cries, to the great grief and horror of the spectators.
The executioner then lifted them up by the
ropes, and, after some time, terrpinated their suf-
ferings by sheer strangulation. We hope the
Secretary of State for the Home Department
will institute such inquiries connected with this
painful subject, and provide such regulations for
the future, that the public will be spared the repeti-
tion of anything similar to that which occurred on
Saturday last at Bury St. Edmund's. Although
we think that hanging is not an unexceptionable
method for depriving crimivals of life, yet we are
not prepared to recommend the substitution of a
better ; but, of all substitutes, the one to which we
should the most strongly object is the garotte,
which was last night suggested by the Marquis of
WESTMEATH. From the different accounts we have
read of this plan of execution, which is adopted in
Spain, we are sure it is the last that would be
tolerated by the English public.

The Irish Poor-law and the Landed Property
(Ireland) Bills, which received the final sanction of
he House of Commons on Friday evening, were last
night introduced into the House of Lords. The
second reading of each was fixed for Thursday week,
the Noble President of the Council having most
judiciously decided that the measure which is in-
tended to afford facilities to the proprietors of land in
Ireland for the improvement of their estates shOuld be
considered at the same time with one giving the poverty
a right to relief out of the property of the country.
It is just that the one, which is universally received
as a great and valuable boon to the landlords, should
proceed pari passu with the other, which is viewed
with marked apprehension, and regarded as a means
by which they will be reduced to poverty and de-
prived of the greater portion of their resources.
They must, however, receive as well the bitter as the
sweet. We doubt not but that when time,
" the great discloser," shall have revealed the
secrets of futurity, it will be found how few of
the vaticinations and prophetic intimations of
coming ruin were justified by the results. The ques-
tion whether Ireland is to have a good and efficient
poor-law now rests with their Lordships. The re-
sponsibility is now cast upon them, and although we
cannot doubt the successful issue of the proceedings,
sufficient has taken place in the Upper House to indi-
cate that great exertions will be made to impair its
efficacy and to neutraiize its advantages. The
battle of the landlords will be fought udder
the banners of Lords STANLEY and Mom,-
EAGLE, and powerful aid will be rendered to the
same side by the Archbishop of DUBLTN, a prelate
who is not usually to be found in the ranks of the
opponents of a liberal and enlightened policy, and
one so loudly demanded by every consideration of
Christian benevolence and genuine philanthropy.
The hostility of such persons cannot safely be
despised or slighted, and although the feeling that
has been manifested throughout the country in
general is such, that a direct refusal could not be
given to the measure, yet amendments and alterations
may be introduced of the most injurious character.

certainly been already taken in this labour of reforma-
tian by the dispersion of the Sotomayor Cabinet, by
the dismissal of the detected chief of the Camarilla,
the Marchioness of SANTA Cituz, and subsequently
by the confinement of FRANCISCO Cnico in the castle
of Almeira, and the incarceration of AVIRANETA in
the castle of Alicante—Casco being the Afrancesado
Due D'OTRANTO, and AVIRANETA the Afrancesado
VIDOCQ. It is among the many anomalies visible in
the political vicissitudes of civilised Europe that the
administrations of Spain are as dissimilar in colour
and design as the broken bits of glass and stained
beads in the cup of a kaleidoscope, and that the
temperament of the populace fluctuates and alternates
in like manner. Nothing has appeared more self-
evident than this variation during the past sixteen
months of Spanish history. Out of the very torpor
and phlegm with which the machinations of Louis
PHILIPPE were observed has emerged a fury and
frenzy of delight upon the counteraction of those
machinations. Madrid puts on its holiday garments,
hangs its tapestries and brocades out of the
windows, scatters blossoms and garlands on the
gravel, and makes the streets ring with novel
acclamations—Viva nuestra amada Reina! Muera los
Afrancesados ! Viva la Independencia Nacional !
Meanwhile the puppet imbecile, the King-Consort
FRANCISCO mopes in the more secluded chambers of
the palace, and—