The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-16 00:00:00

q beienin $1 "ilitatt.
... •

LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1847

For fifteen years Liskeard has been faithfully
iepresented in Parliament by Mr. CHARLES BULLER
a seventh time has that Right Honourable Gentleman
been returned by the constituents as a burgess in the
Legislative Chamber at Westminster. It is always
gratifying to observe this reciprocation of confidence
and attachment between the enfranchised members of
the community and the popular nominees. It is an
evidence that public services, performed with the in-
telligence, the assiduity, and the inexorable consis-
tency which have throughout characterised the Par-
liamentary career of Mr. CMARLES BULLER, can be
appreciated and acknowledged. It infuses a degree
of enthusiasm into the operations of Government
such as would be otherwise unattainable, and consti-
tutes the most salutary antithesis to the old and
partially exploded system of boroughmongering.
What Old 'Sarum and Gatton were to the
unconstitutional elections of the last generation,
such places as Finsbury and Liskeard have become
under the Reformed Parliaments returned since the
passage of the glorious measure of GREY and
Exuma.. The former were as much disgraced by
the corrupt principles prevalent among the pocket
constituencies, as the latter are entitled to admiration
for their unbending independence and for the staunch
and corftal reliance reposed by them in their patri-
otic and distinguished representatives.

In consequence of the recent retirement of Mr.
CHARLES Bummt from the office of Judge-Advocate-
General and his appointment as Chief Commissioner
of the Poor-laws in the different shires of
England and Wales, he has again ap-
peared as a candidate before his political
supporters, and has again received an evidence
of their satisfaction by his unanimous and uncontested
election on Tuesday. Of all the more accomplished
Liberals in the House of Commons not one has more
entirely merited for himself such tokens of confidence
on the part of a constituency as the late Judge-Ad-
vocate-General. The remarkable abilities evinced
by hint not merely in the discharge of the duties con-
nected with that part of the Administration, and pre-
viously in his position as Secretary to the Board of
Conttol, under the Cabinet of Lord MELBOURNE, but
ale* in his individual character as a debater in St.
Stephen's, have acquired for him the con-
sideration of the 285 electors of Liskeard,
and of the Liberal population of the United
lingdom. The evenness of temper displayed by him
amidst all the turbulent passions excited by discus-
sion ; the pertinacity with which he has for sixteen
rears advocated the principles of civil liberty and
religious tolerance ; the industry with which he has
invariably discharged the duties devolving upon him
from his official rank ; and the earnest anxiety shown
by him to fulfil the responsibilities connected with his
Particular post in the Administration, have con-
firmed the anticipations raised by him when chief secre-
TaTY to the Earl of DURHAM during his colonial
labours as Governor of Canada, Beyond
this, it is
not unworthy of remark
that the
Chief Commissioner
of the Poor-laws can bthee numbered among not the
least distinguished
of
literarymost literary Administration.
humoured sarcasm which i The caustic but good-
m arted a certain relish to
the speeches delivered by him
from the
d
floor of the
House, has been occasionally detect
contributions to the Edinburgh. It
has among the
ever consti-
tuted the salt of his criticism, whether in literature
or legislation.

After the complimentary expressions asually in_
dulged in by successful candidates, the most interest-
ing remarks made to the electors by Mr. CHARLES
BOLLBR, on the occasion of his return on Tuesday,
were those which had immediate reference to the
Irish Coercion Bill just introduced by the Govern-
ment. Remembering that the Right Hon. Gentle-
man has hitherto been numbered amongst the most
strenuous opponents to any measures of a coercive
natare in regard to Ireland, and that he proved espe-
cially antagonistic to the Bill which led to the expui-
ston of Sir Ron Ear PREL and his colleagues from office
in 1646, it became a matter of curiosity to

hear in what terms he would vindicate what
was to all appearance such an extraordinary
alteration in his views respecting the sister
country. Mir. CHARLES BULLER rests his justification
of the Bill for the Prevention of Crime and Outrage
in Ireland principally upon the prior establishment
of a system of poor-law relief in the four provinces
of that island—a preliminary step which he conceives
to be calculated in a great degree to raise the Irishman
in the scale of civilization, and to prevent the con-
stant repetition of agrarian murders by diminishing
the inducements to assassination. And he
further observes :—" I do not see how we
can carry out any measures against ab-
sentees when the motive of absenteeism
is the actual fear of the blunderbuss if they venture
to live on their property, and perform the duties
which that property imposes on them." In these
sentiments there is no dereliction whatever from the
principles which have heretofore actuated not only
Mr. CHARLES BULLER himself, but every other
member of her MaJESTY'S Government. In sup.
porting the Bill for the better protection of
life in Ireland, a Bill which, according to the fa-
cetious definition of the Right Hon. Gentleman, has
been adopted, without any of those terrible conse-
quences held out to us of Members "dying on the floor
of the House," and adding to the prevailing epidemic
by the disagreeable consequences that would ensue,
Mr. CHARLES BULLER has only developed those
generous ideas which have all along influenced his
conduct in the different questions appertaining to the
affairs of Ireland. He has, in so doing, affected any-
thing but a change in the general opinions of his
political consistency; and of his temperate convictions
as to the most effectual means of maintaining the
internal tranquillity of the empire.

The Committee has at length been appointed. The
great end and object of the meeting of Parliament
has been accomplished. It now appears that the
Members of either branch of the Legislature were
summoned from their respective homes, from the
localities in which their presence is peculiarly valu•
able, and their attention to the interests of their
tenantry and the improvements of their estates are
productive of the most beneficial results, in order to
hear the Chancellor of the Exchequer chant the
praises of the Bank Charter Act, and state ►► that the
salvation of the country was entirely owing to its
operation." It was supposed that they had
been collected together in order to sanction the
departure from the law which had been advised by
the Government, to grant the indemnity that would
be required for the suspension of the Act of 1844,
and to hear from the Financial Minister the grave
and urgent reasons that had compelled the Ministry
to adopt such a course, and the means by which they
biped to improve the condition of the country ; and
tich expectations were but reasonable. There had
been a season of great and extraordinary excitement;
on almost total cessation of credit, a general want of
confidence. Money could not be obtained on any
terms, or at any price, to carry on the ordinary busi-
ness transactions; every description of property
became fearfully deteriorated in value. The holders
of every description of stock were compelled to throw
it upon the market for whatever it would
bring ; and, in order to avoid a suspen-
sion of payments, perhaps a bankruptcy, to
submit to the most ruinous losses. Production of
every kind ceased, and tens of thousands of the
labouring population driven from the employment by
which they had supported their families, if not with
comfort, at least in independence, were compelled to
submit to the most painful privations, or to seek
refuge in the tender mercies of the union workhouse.
Deputation after deputation waited upon the Govern-
ment, conveying the remonstrances of merchants and
manufacturers, at the state to which the commercial
interests of the nation had been reduced—a state,
which if not altogether occasioned by the monetary
laws, as was boldly asserted by very many, was most
undoubtedly and fearfully aggravated thereby. But
these remonstrances were for a long period treated
with contempt. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
hesitated not to tell parties who waited upon him to
represent scenes that were daily passing before their
own eyes—facts of which they themselves were
cognisant—that they were quite mistaken ; that there
was no undue pressure or extraordinary difficulty in
obtaining money ; that the Bank had not imposed.
nor, as he believed, ever intended to impose any
undue restrictions ; and that the worst had already
passed. To the very last, the Right Hon. Baronet
remained incredulous as to the existence of the dis-
tress, and was perhaps the only person throughout
the whole country ignorant of what was taking
place on every side. At length matters arrived at
such a pitch that it was impossible to maintain the
laissez faire policy any longer—to exhibit that cpol
indifference to the sufferings of the people for which
the Right Hon. Gentleman had rendered himself so
remarkable. A deputation of the bankers of the
metropolis waited upon the Premier, and adduced
such cogent reasons, that the necessity for immediate
action became apparent. The Act that had so
materially increased the intensity of the panic could
no longer be maintained. Its suspension was essen-
tial to the safety of the country. The well-
known letter was accordingly written, in which the
directors of the Bnnk were authorised to increase
their discounts, and to act with greater liberality,
and an indemnity was promised for any
breach of the law that might thereby be occasioned

Notwithstanding the conditions with which this boon
was clogged its effects were almost magical. Confi-

dence was restored, credit was again Co be obtained,
and although the rate of eight per cent. was most
unprecedented, and such as, if maintained for any
prolonged period, must eventually prove ruinous to
every person engaged in business, still money might
be got, although at a serious cost, and ruinous sacrifices
might be avoided. The tardy, but acceptable act of
Government was hailed with all but universal appro-
bation, and that approbation was greatly enhanced when
it became known that Parliament had been convened
for the earliest occasion, in order that the conduct of
the Ministers might he canvassed therein, and the
steps necessary for the restoration of the national
prosperity deliberated on. As the time appointed
for its meeting approached the greatest anxiety was
manifested to know the nature of the forthcoming
revelations, and the measures that were to be substi..

tuted for the Act of 1844, which it was universally
admitted could never again be restored. The first

step taken was, however, the withdrawal of the letter

to the Bank, and the revival of the suspended

statute. Then it appeared that there had been no

departure from the law—no necessity for any in-
demnity. And as to the statement by the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, the Right Hon. Gentleman might
have assumed the language of the needy knife-grinder,
and answered--

" Story, God bless you, I have none to tell,"
Something, however, must be done, or at least ap-
pear to be done, and a Committee was moved for, to
inquire into the causes of the commercial distress.

and the great question was thereby clearly
shelved, even under the most favourable circum-
.

stances, for a considerable period. As if to render
the absurdity still more glaring, the composition of
the Committee proposed was such, that the nature of
their report was evident eves before the commence-
ment of their labours ; and loud complaints were
uttered as to the predominance of one class of
opinions therein. The Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, however, was firm, and refused to
assent to the slightest change therein, and the
House have by a majority sanctioned the selection
_ _ _

he made. Nothing, it appears, is to be done until

after the recess, except the ordering of certain

papers and documents ; so that all that has taken

place is the selection of a Committee in which no confi-

dence is entertained by the House or country, and
which is not even to commence its labours until after
the usual period for the assembling together of Par-
liament. True it is, the Irish Act and the Railways
Act were carried, but we believe it is certain that the
Legislature would not have been convened for either
p,rpose. The great object was the appointment of
e C‘ommittee. That has been attained. Verily, Parturient montes, nascitur ridicttlus

A letter from Naples of the 4th, contains the fol-
lowing respecting the recent disturbances at Palermo :
In the evening of the 29th ult, the populace still
crowded the streets, and one of the leaders, who had a
tricolour
group ill tfl
he stag, plre aced himself at the head of an immense
et of Toledo. This assemblage pro-
ceededthe to the squa
alrof they
of the
statue Dome, whero their leader got
upon pedest of Sainte Rosalie, We