The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-03 00:00:00

ebienins 2ititt

LONDON. SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1847.

Another remarkable charaet whose name is in-
thnately associated with the history
Europe
to the
its most momentous Cr,isis expired on oof during
tinagt
St. Germains. Every successive month,
obituary some distinguished contemporary that
era of greatness which must render the coYmnite
ment of the nineteenth century memorable to all
future generations. In speaking of Prince JULES DE
POLIGNAC immediately after his decease, we do not
feel ourselves exonerated from the unpleasant duty
of mentioning him in language of reprobation.
Truth is the worthiest epitaph of humanity; and
the old heathen adage is pregnant with wisdom which
says, that facts narrated on any funereal occasion
are more eloquent, when clothed with accuracy,
than when adorned with the blandishments of a de-
ceptive rhetoric. In this respect a trustworthy
chronological table has more value to the thoughtful
man than the most masterly panegyric of a biassed
orator, even though that panegyric to suffused with
the genius of a BOSSUIST or the energy of a Citznn-
Los. Of the departed statesman, therefore, it would
be unworthy to speak in terms otherwise than truth-
ful, although in so speaking we should seem to be
profaning the sanctuary of recent dissolution.
According to the expression of a vulgar me-
taphor, some men Appear to be born with

I silver spoons in their mouths—meaning good
fortune ; while others are endowed with nothing
better than a wooden one—meaning misfortune.
Prince JULES DE POLIGNAc must unques-
tionably have entered existence with both. His
whole career was literally a succession of catastrophes,
attributable partially to an adverse destiny and
partially to the weakness and vacillation of his own
judgment. With many estimable qualities as a pri-
vate character, Prince JuLss DE POLIGNAC had abso-
lutely no capacity for public administration beyond
that of yielding to the wishes of an incom-
petent Sovereign, of evincing the suavity of a
petit-maitre in the midst of the most perilous
junctures, and of participating in the most
wild and extravagant schemes when they pro-
mis.d the advancement of the apotheosised prin-
ciple of Legitimacy. In struggling to evidence his
loyalty to this principle, Prince JULES DE POLIGNAC
showed his willingness to violate the holiest emotions
of his heart and the purest impulses of his nature.
Legitimacy was to him what BAAL was to the
Eastern Idolators. He sacrificed to it everything ;
he sacrificed for it everything ; he sacrificed, through
the passionate reverence which it inspired in his
bosom, everything. For the sake of Legitimacy,
Prince JULES DE POLIGNAC was ready to forsake the
paths of honour for those of dishonesty ; to become
reckless, from being remarkable for his timid so-
briety ; to become cruel and ruthless, from having
been naturally generous and benignant. Are we
exaggerating the effects of this unfortunate infatua-
tion ? History responds to this inquiry and she tells
us that Prince JULES DE Pomorrac was implicated
in a murderous conspiracy against a wonderful man,
who had been summoned by national acclamation to
the throne of his country ; she tells us that for the
gratification of his diseased loyalty he leagued him-
self, in 1804, with cut-throats and brigands; that
for this flagrant dereliction of his duties as a Christian
and as a civilized man he suffered a captivity of several
years' duration; that, ultimately, in 1829, he was
principally instrumental in plunging his native land
into a brief but bloody revolution. History tells us
these things in an inexorable voice ; she brands the
monument of the dead statesman with the words IN-
TB:NDED ASSASSINATION and ABETTED DESPOTISM!
As one among the accomplices of PICHEGRU, and as
the last Minister of CHARLES X., Prince JULES DB
POLIGNAC gained notoriety rather than immortality.
The offspring of a venerable aristocracy, he has
blended his memory in the recollections of men with
the vices of ruffians and the triumph of the rabble.
Cradled in a luxurious court, he has perished in a
distasteful obscurity. The favourite of Princes, he
has ensured to his nat. the contempt or the abhor-
re.nce of the people.

Throughout his life, however, there is one pal-
liation which must not be overlooked, in estimating
the qualities and actions of Prince JuLEs DE
POLIGNAC. He was the bigot of an erroneous loyalty;
he was the fanatic of kingly succession and kingly
irresponsibility. These sentiments were instilled
into his heart on the outburst of the revolution ;
th,?y inoculated, they permeated his whole nature ;
th ?), assumed in fine such an overweening pre-
dominancy that they resolved themselves into a moral
disease. And it was solely through the operation
of this monomaniacal devotion to Legitimacy that
Prince JULEs DM POLIGNAC became politically
criminal, though privately virtuous. Within the do-
mestic circle he adorned himself with many social
gr!.ces ; upon the arena of public events he
either appeared as a contemptible scapegoat or as an
im:entestable culprit. With this motley character,
with these contrasted lights and shades, with these
mingled colours of good and evil, Prince JULES DB
PC iMIGNAC has descended into the grave a perfect
chfaroscuro of statesmanship. Among the glorious
fig ttres grouped upon the political tableau of his epoch
he will appear to posterity as a fantastic intruder.

Notwithstanding the protests of the dissentient
Loixds, the Irish poor-law may be regarded as virtu-
ally carried ; and although there are some points,
mocre particularly in the recently-introduced clauses,
which appear in some degree objectionable, the mea-
sure is calculated to confer the greatest benefits on
the, country at large. Already its good effects are
becoming manifest in the increased exertion of the
lam 'lords, many of whom are seeking to provide
profitable employment for the labouring popula-
tion , and thus to diminish the burden that must
otherwise press with extraordinary weight. If such
a c ourse should be generally pursued—if the owners
an. I occupiers of land in Ireland would for once con-
sen x to co-operate together for their mutual advan-
tag le—the vast improvement in the social condition
of tjhe people generally that would be the inevitable
res►, It would be cheaply purchased by the misery
anct wretchedness that has been borne by suffering
tho tisands—we might say, millions-=during the past
wii i ter. Then, indeed would Ireland be regenerated,
and! assume her proper position in the scale of
nat ions ; her children would be contented and happy,
in t ;he certainty of being enabled, by their exertion,
to procure the means of subsistence, and to obtain a fair
day 'a wages for a fair day's work, and the lands through.
out the entire island would be brought to the higher
pitcji of cultivation and fertility. The British nation
wo' ald gladly render every possible assistance to those
wh. y had set their own shoulders to the wheel, and
ens ble them to bring to light the latent resources of
the country.

I.7he chief question of difference, respecting which
mart y good and conscientious men, strenuous ad-
voc ates for a good and efficient poor-law, enter-
tain ed opinions of the most opposite character, was
rest )ecting, the area of taxation that should be adopted ;
som e clamoured for a townland rating, that as nearly
asp ossible a single landlord, or two, or three at the
fart' hest, should have to maintain the poor of their
estales ; and this proposition has certainly an
appearance of equity, as it is not consistent with
JUStli 2e that those landlords who fully and efficiently
perf;.rm the duties incidental to their position—who
furnish employment to the able-bodied poor on their
esta4; es, and ensure to every man who is able and
willing to earn his livelihood by honest industry, the
meat is of doing so, should be heavily taxed by reason
of the negligence, apathy, or improper conduct of
their immediate neighbours. Other reasons, how-
ever, existed why the area of taxation should not be
of s o limited a character. It would hold out a pre-
miu m to cruelty and hardness of heart, an inducement
to ltmdlords to clear their estates, to drive out the
cott ier tenants from their humble habitations, regard-
less of the fearful sufferings that would thereby be
produced. A man might be strong and industrious,
and well able to maintain his family, but
such a person would not he suffered to gain a footing
where he might be enabled to obtain good employ-
ment, because the rates might thereafter be increased.
The proposition, therefore, of another class, that a
union should be substituted for an electoral rate,
gained many influential supporters, while the Govern-
ment adopted a middle course between the extremes.
Now the great object would be, if practicable,
to introduce some plan by which the objections
to either plan would be obviated, and the ad-
vantages of both realised. On behalf of a union
or even a national rate, it might fairly be urged that
the poverty of the entire kingdom should be provided
for out of the property of the kingdom ; that it is un-
just that one proprietor should escape for 6d. or Is. in
the pound, while another might be taxed to the ex-
tent of 7s. or Ss. for the same purpose. Much injury
would also be averted to which the seaport and other
towns are now subjected. The present measure gives
n°, right of removal or settlement, consequently those
no are driven from their humble homes will
naturally, indeed must, flock to the towns, and thus
the burdens of on
greate
e Blass may be materially increased
enabled
deserving to
of relieveth e
by the heartless cruelty of another, who would be
themselves by a course of conduct
chargeable on the
Why should not
throughout
a national rate then be esntr"irke.
entire real property of everyudee:e
the kingdom, and coupled therewirtTiti:n
which a drawback from that rate should provision
al, by
to every one who would be enabled to
provel 'n wed
satisfactory manner that he had given his full
proportion of employment ? Such a person should
only be bound to contribute his proportion
of the expense of maintaining the sick and the
infirm, the aged and the helpless, and those who are
unable by any means to work for their own support,
and also of the staff necessary for carrying out the
provisions of the law. By the adoption of this prin-
t ciple every fitting encouragement would be given to

the humane landlord, while practically a tax
would be levied on absentees in the only manner
consistent with national justice and national honour.
No precautions in the way of clearing estates or pre-
venting the industrious portion of the community from
obtaining a footing will be sufficient to save those
who do not improve their properties, and
discharge the duties of a resident landlord, at least
so far as giving ample employment to the people,
from a heavy payment. We are well aware that
there would be many difficulties interposed in the
way of bringing this plan into execution, but we are
convinced that they are not insuperable, but that, on
the contrary, they could be easily surmounted.
The suggestion at least appears worthy of attentive
consideration on the part of those whose interests are
so deeply involved in the question.

HARRY of Exeter is really a very insupportable
sort of bishop. He is restless as a squirrel in a cage.
We have seen in an exhibition of animals and birds,
styled " the happy family," a most effective and
pleasing restraint imposed upon their natural and
vicious propensities, and perfect harmony prevailing
throughout the group. But whatever wonders may
be wrought, by dexterous management, among the
lower tribes of creation, it would seem that, if the
same system of discipline were attempted to be
universally applied to man, it would not be difficult
to point to a class of sentient beings who would com
pletely mar the effort. The redoubted Prelate of
Exeter belongs to this class. He is not to be influ-
enced by fear, for he is absolutely fearless. His courage
is as undaunted as was that of the immortal Quixorr,
with whose judgment, too, that of the Bishop of EXETER
is as nicely on a par as possible. This mental combi-
nation, which is so curious, striking, and harmonious
in the knight-errant, is nevertheless not equally
palatable, though it is highly facetious, in the
character of a Church dignitary of the nineteenth
century. The Right Reverend PHILPOTTS has
happily been of late but very little before the
public eye. This has not been the result of any dis-
inclination on the part of the Bishop to draw the
attention of the public towards himself, but because,
like many a surgical tyro, he has been in want
of a subject. The Bishop has had as much con-
fidence as ever in his modus operandi, but, some how
or other, people prefer keeping aloof from him. We
believe the Prelate has felt very much chagrined
since Lord SEYMOUR declined, with such admirable
contempt, entering into a correspondence with
him. The Bishop, however, could not exist with-
out having a tilt at somebody. Accordingly he
couched his lance the week before last, and made a
desperate charge at the Mayor of Exeter. The par-
ticulars of the tournament are now before the public.
The chivalrous Prelate received a very severe shock.
We understand it will be some time before his Lord-
ship will recover, and that his medical attendants
have advised a discontinuance from these violent pranks
in future. It is rumoured that the Bishop has be-
come wholly unequal to these contests, to which he
has been warmly addicted from his earliest years,
and that the reason of his constantly missing his aim
is attributable to his sight being seriously impaired.
The encounter alluded to arose in this singular way.
A ball was advertised to be held in Exeter, under
most distinguished patronage, in aid of the Irish and
Scottish Relief Fund. The Bishop animadverted, in
his sermon, upon this announcement, and then ad-
dressed a letter to the ISlayor, apprising him of what
he had done, but disdaining any intention of being
" personally disrespectful" to his correspondent. The
Mayor replied with crushing effect. After describ-
ing the ball as a harmless amusement, and as a course
directly sanctioned by the personal example of her
Most Gracious MAJESTY, he aptly remarked—
" I am very far from thinking that the end, however
good, can sanctify objectionable means ; but when the
means are blameless in themselves, I am at a loss to
comprehend how their character should be changed by
an ulterior benevolent purpose."
The Bishop is then reminded of the value of his
disclaimer of personal disrespect, by a simple ex-
traction of a few of the choice epithets which he ap-
plied in his discourse to those who approved of the
benevolent project. " Selfishness," " degrading,"
low," " miserable frivolity," " mockery," and "dis-
sipation," are among the generous and " respectful"
expressions that grace the sermon throughout. HARR:
of Exeter has a code of ethics peculiarly his own,
presenting the rare advantage of enabling a man to
asperse another in the bitterest terms, accompanied with
an assurance that his personal regard for him is unim-
peachably sincere. The veracity of this assurance it is
impossible to impugn. We ought to mention another
singular circumstance. As soon as the Bishop had
recovered from the recoil of the Mayor's buffetings,
as if in repentance of what he had done, and by way
of recompensing any loss which might accrue to the
Relief Fund from his unprovoked proceedings, he
generously offered to publish his sermon, that the
copies might be sold for one shilling each, and the
produce applied to alleviate the distress of the Irish
and Scotch. People may admire the Bishop's motive,
bat we are satisfied that the compensation will turn
out to be " a mockery, a delusion, and a snare."

The Augsburg Gazette has the following from
Trieste, of 21st ult.:—

" We have just heard from Naples that considerable
demands of wheat have been lafe'y made in that city,
both fur Italy and Sicily, and that, in consequence, an
advance in prices has taken place. The present state of
vegetation is de►cribed as exceedingly tine. We have
also received a letter from Odessa of the 10th, which
declares that the cold had returned, and that the port
was so covered with ice as to prevent a number of vessels
from going out. Very little corn was ready for delivery;
but on the other hand a large quantity was to be deli
vered in July. In Southern Russia an abundant harvest
was again looked for. At Theodosia the navigation had
been re•orened on Feb. 2."

The Russian Government has officially declared to
the Cabinets of Vienna and Berlin, that for the future
no foreign officer will be allowed to take part in the
campaigns of the Russian troops in the Caucasus,
unless he will consent to be naturalised, and to take
an oath of fidelity to the CZAR.

We have already stated that the Vorort of Berne
had demanded from the Government of the canton of
Lucerne explanations respecting its military prepara-
tions. The Government of Lucerne has replied, that
it does not recognise the right of the Vorort to make
this demand upon a sovereign state, and only replies
to it for the purpose of putting an end to misrepre-
sentation. It asserts that the spirit of turbulence in
other cantons renders it necessary for it to provide for
its own security, and that this is the only object of
its present military display.

Madrid papers of the 27th ult. have arrived. The
Ministerial crisis still continued, and it was rumoured
that Senor PAcnEco had undertaken to form a Mi-
nistry, as the KING of the FRENCH and Queen CRESS-
TINA were afraid of the consequences of the elevation
of NARVAEZ to the head of the Government. The
price to be paid by PACHECO fur this neutrality was
the admission of MAZAREDO, the devoted adherent
of NARVAEZ, to the Cabinet, as Minister-at-War.
The following list of the new Ministry has been
handed about :—FAcnEco, Foreign Affairs ; MAZA-
REDO, War; BENAVIDES, Interior; SALAMANCA,
Finance; PASTOR DIAz, Justice; SOLLERO, Marine.
The Marquis of MuterLoaEs, Senor ARRAZOLA,
Senor PENA r AGUAYO, Senor Ros DE OLANO, and
Senor LLORENTE, were also spoken of as likely to be
members of the Pacheco Cabinet. The Herald°,
however, declares that there is no authority for these
rumours; and remarks that, as the Tiempo, the organ
of Senor PACHECO, has recently attacked Senor
SALAMANCA, it is hardly likely that they would be
members of the same Cabinet. The Bill authorising
the collecting of taxes until the adoption of the
budget, and annulling the authorisation for the settle-
ment of the debt, has passed the Chamber of De-
puties by a large majority.
MADRID BOLSA, MARCH 27.—The Three per Cents.
closed at 304 fur cash ; the Five per Cents., at 19 ;
th• Debt without interest, at 5i and the Coupons,
at 17.

'Fe e haveconsr
teict
lei
ti
I%.)eidi n
et
ih et
thus
to
of Thursday.
The
alarmist.
article on the state of the crops which appeared in
of the Journal des Debate on thQ
srisrepparieesrs
the Journal des Debats of the day preceding:—
" It is impossible to understand the strange reasoning.
After denying the obvious insufficiency of the last crop
in October and November last that is, when it was easy
to ascertain question of provisions.
the quantity of grain available, we find it
to-day expressing the most lively apprehensions re-
specting the crop in the ground, and of which no ono
can yet appreciate the results. The Bourse follows with
docility the oscillations of the Ministerial journal, from

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