The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-29 00:00:00

ships of war did not venture systematically to insult the
British flag. Ten years ago, " sympathisers" from the
United States did not presume openly to fomont rebellion
in Canada against England. Ten years ago, Ireland,
however turbulent and unmanageable, did not exhibit those
symptoms of perfect organization for all the purposes of
treason, which may now unhappily be traced throughout
the length and breadth of the Popish portions of that
island. Ten years ago, the labouring classes in England
had not been reduced by the agency of new Poor-laws,
and other " reformiag" nostrums utterly hostile to the
British constitution—nay, to the fundamental arrange-
ments on which society has, in all previous ages, been
founded. The change in the character of the foreign and
domestic relations of England is frightful ; and to our
" Liberal" rulers is that change attributable.
" Ten years ago" this was the happiest of
worlds, for the plain reason that Old Granny in
her dotage fancies it was. Now ten years ago our
venerable Contemporary took a very different view
of the state of this country Ten years ago, if we re-
inesalber rightly, the agitation of the Reform question
shook England to its centre, and almost, for the first
time in the annals of our political strife, the
power of that oligarchy, whom the Herald wor-
ships, was laid prostrate at the feet of the people.
Ten years ago the Throne of the BOURBONS was
hurled in the dust before the eyes of the indignant
Tories, and yet they had neither the power nor the
opportunity of firing one shot to restore what they
had shed seas of blood to establish. Ten years ago
the knell of despotism was rung in Spain, but Lord
LONDONDERRY was too busy fighting the battles
of the rotten boroughmongers to make even one
speech in favour of his protege Don CARLOS.
Ten years ago the nationality of unhappy Poland
was blotted from the map of Europe, and yet
such was the internally disturbed state of Eng-
' land and France—such was the gloomy aspect
of Belgium and Holland—such was the
ricketty condition of our power in India,
I—such was the general dread of accelerating the
downfal of Turkey—such, in short, was the dis-
tracted and helpless condition of Great Britain at
home and abroad, from the bad policy of the
WELLINGTON Cabinet, that we could not raise a
finger to save even a nation—a great and free na-
tion, and our old ally—from annihilation ! Catholic
Ireland led the Duke of WELLINGTON captive,
and Russia spurned his remonstrances, and, under
the walls of Adrianople, dictated the capitulation of
Turkey. The great warrior proved himself but a
sorry statesman, even white demonstrating his won-
derful capacity for the practical details of business,
in which he has never been excelled. Ten years
ago, what the Herald has over and over again
called revolutionary anarchy stalked with head erect,
and menacing aspect, through the land. The Tory
Peers talked of putting their castles in a state of
defence, and the subsequent firing of Nottingham
and Bristol proves at once the fearful excitement and
the desperation of the people.
There is, therefore, no comparison between the
present condition of England and her political po-
sition ten years ago, Notwithstanding the Corn-
law agitation, and the Church-law agitation, and
the Irish agitation, the general surface of society is
unruffled by the violent whirlwinds of passion.
Chartism has been successfully put down by the
strong arm of the law, while the good sense of the
nation has confined the Tories within the safe

limits of the leadership of a vexatious oppo-
sition. Ireland is not only tranquil, but well af-
fected to the Throne and the flee; institutions of
Great Britain. All she sceLl is an equality of
civil rights, and to obtain that equality shP has
outgrown the folly of having recourse to treasonable
conspiracies. Abroad, the policy of Lord PAL-
MERSTON has been eminently successful. His
much-abused protocols settled the Belgian (Ines-
tion without shedding a drop of blood, while in
India success attended every measure recommended
by the Government. By his Lordship's firmness
and decision Turkey was saved from the
fatal protectorship of Russia, and :MEHE-
MET ALL prevented from following up the
victory at Nezib by marching upon Con-
stantinople. And if misunderstandings have
arisen with Portugal, Naples, and China,
what impartial person will pretend that his Lord-
ship could have prevented them, or affirm that he
has not carried himself in them in a way highly
creditable to the dignity of this country ? During,
his administration Lord PALMERSTON has in-
volved this country in no disgraceful contest with

any Power; and even while he took care to con-
vince Portugal that he would not submit to con-
tumely even from the weakest enemy, from a mis.
taken chivalrous feeling, he at the same time de-
monstrated that there was no notoriety of which he
was so little covetous as that of a bully,
Notwithstanding the notorious bad faith of
Portugal, England was content to vindicate
her own dignity by a firm, but at the
the same time perfectly pacific policy. In giving
:effect to the treaty against slave-dealing, England
left Portugal at full liberty to exculpate herself from
all blame of being concerned in that inhuman
traffic. Neither her honour or her purse was made
:responsible for sins committed under her flag, unless
:she chose voluntarily to adopt them. With re-

.'spest to the China contest it grew naturally out o:

a state of things existing long anterior to Lord
PALNIERSTON'S appointment to the Foreign
Office. It must have come on sooner or later ; and
:it could hardly have happened at a better time than
it did.

We trust that our venerable Contemporary,
vl►ose natural inclination to somnolency we are
a all times i; ood.naturedly loth to disturb, will