The Sun.
London, England, 1824-09-27 00:00:00

THE SUCCESSION TO THE FRENCH CROWN.

( From the Etoile.)
We copied yesterday front the English Courier
an article which contains the following observations:—" A few
years ago (from the dangers which threatened the throne of
France) it is a known fact, that, in the south and west of
France, the Royalists were making dispositions to secure them-
selves against the consequences of a second revolution."—We
remarked on this in a note, that the men who conspired openly
against legitimacy, denounced continually, as conspirators, the
friends of the Monarchy—those whom, in the language of the
Jacobin Fonda, they called the Ultras. Many letters which
we have received on this subject contain information which
places beyond all doubt one characteristic of the history of that
disastrous period.
It is very certain, that at sight of the intrigues and plot of
the enemies of legitimacy, faithful subjects who had defended
it throirgh fifteen years, in the provinces, prepared to defend it
still. The audacity of the conspirators exceeded all bounds,
when they saw themselves supported even by the functionaries
whose duty it was to expose their machinations. The Royalists
alone were pointed out as the enemies of the State ; in a word,
they had again become " suspected," as they were during the
worst part of the reign of terror. Men in office had no hesita-
tion in announcing the day when the great change was to take
place, and that was the day on which Louis XVIII. should
breathe his last. Faithful to their instructions, these same
agents of power made no secret of the successor who had been
designated by the chief's of the plot. It was not the son of the
former usurper, as the lower classes of the Liberals believed,
but it was that of a Sovereign of the second rank. In him they
discovered all varieties of merit ; to the recommendation of
illegitimacy they joined that of his being a Calvinist.
During; that period, insidious writings, circulated by those
who had been appointed to preserve the public peace, disposed
the minds of the people to violate the ancient and well-known
laws of the monarchy. From the example set by the journals
of the faction, there was nothing suggested in every pamphlet
but to follow, with regard to the natural anti legal heir of the
crown, the same course as was taken in England with regard to
the Duke of York, brother to Charles 11. The most ignorantl,
emissaries of' the conspiracy, prepared against a Prince the ob.
ject of the love and veneration of. France, spoke like the most'
learned of the famous bills of limitation and exclusion, after
confining themselves in the beginning to equivocal insinuations,
The well-known authors of the infamous private correspond.
ence received from their masters orders to attack, directly and
personally, the august individual whose inheritance had already
been transferred to a foreign race by anticipation. Part or
these execrable schemes were exposed even at that time, in a
work published by an excellent Royalist, under the title of
" England hi 16011, and France in PM." A compilation en-
titled'' The Thousand and One Calumnies," which is but a
translation, with comments, of the private correspondence pub-
lished during so long a period in the English papers, completed
the exposition of this iniquitous mystery.
But was it accomplished ? Of this then, happily, there is
still much reason to doubt. It' all the enemies of legitimacy
were at their post, if poWer was exclusively in their hands, it
is not less certain that all the defenders of the throne held
themselves ready again to fight in that sacred cause which had
covered La Vendee with imperishable glory. A particular
passage contained in a letter which we have received, enables
us to judge of the disposition which prevailed. One of those
heroes of fidelity, to whom Louis XVIII., before he died, had
just decreed arms qf honour, was sent for in 11119 by the Under
Prefect of his district. " What do I hear, Sir ?' said he, to
the noble Vendettn. "'They tell me that you have kept arms
by you. Against whom do yun conspire ? " I have never
conspired," replied the loyal knight, 4. the word is unknown
to me ; but all my life I have served my God and my King.
If it shall be necessary to fight for them again, I am quite
ready. This I now tell you, and you may report it."
But if we recall those days of grief and shame, it is but to
enjoy the higher satisfaction in repeating, with the English
writer whom we quoted yesterday, , " Who now hears of con-
spiracies ? All ideas of subverting the throne are abandoned.
The population is contented with the Government, and the
army is devoted to its Prince. Never, perhaps, was so great
an alteration in the affairs of a nation effected in so short a
time. Three years have sufficed to restore to order and trail-
tptillity a nation distracted by thirty years of anarchy and con-
tusion. This circumstance alone sneaks for the talents of the
Ministry which has produced such important and unlooked-for
results."

SUDDEN DEATII,*(CTIELTENHA)E, SEPT. at.
rious gloom is on numberless countenances tlds day, on account
of the awful and sudden death which has taken place this
morning. Mr. Awcx, with his wife and daughter, who have
been residing some time at Sheldon's Boarding-house and Hotel,
in High-street, went this morning, about nine o'clock, into the
garden or yard, at the back of the hotel, to give directions to his
coachman to bring his carriage to the front of the hotel, to take
himself, his wife, and daughter, to one of the Spas to drink the
water, when he fell down in the yard, and instantly expired.
This truly awful event was seen by several persons, who carried
him into the Hotel, and sent for a surgeon, who came instiuujy,
and tried all means to restore him, but in vain ; the vital spark
had fled when he fell. The melancholy and distressing event
was concealed front his wife and daughter as long as possible,
but on it being broke to them, a scene of distraction and distress
took place not to be described, Their residence is near Wolver-
hampton.

THE REV. ALEXANDER FLETCHER.

[From the Morning Papent.l

-- -
On Wednesday a Synod of the United Seces.
sion Church in Scotland met in Edinburgh, when they reek
up an appeal from the Rev. ALEXANDEIi'FLET CHM
nister of the Albion Chapel, London, from a decision o:
the Associate Presbytery of London, refusing to put law.
distinct propositions the charges which they had subsoil,
tially adopted against him ; and also a reference of tie
whole cause by the Presbytery, in respect to the fumy oftwiln
llr. Fletcher, that he had violated a promise of marriage
which he had plighted to the daughter of a highly resPecr*
able member of the Secession Church; and also a co-
plaint to the Presbytery, against Mr. Fletcher by siveri
of his elders, that he had dispensed the LORD'S SUPPer
opposition to the will of the Session. A civil action, Aril;
ing out of the first charge, had previously been detennineu
by the Court of King's Bench. The short-hand writer's tePaftl
of that cause, and a mass of incidental tiocuments,consequeol,
became evidence in this; and the reading of them ()qtr.'
the Court the whole of the early sederunt, which lasted gem
one a. m. till half-past tour p.m., as also some part of the even-
ing, when the Synod again met at seven o'clock, for Merl!'
pose of bringing this important case to a conclusion, and coat!.
nued in deliberation till half-past 12 o'clock. The following
the decision of the Synod on the whole matter Find !I
proved by Mr. Fletcher's letter, and by his confession, pun,
cularly in the Court of King's Bench, that he has been guil.l
of the breach of promise of marriage, aggravated by the &O en!
of his conduct, and by assertions of innocence, which, in dit,c4
opposition to his confession, he has frequently repeated, end 11.
the calumnious charges he has preferred Against the family 0!
which the lady is a member, and against others who toe,'
most friendly interest in this business • and that 1,3 dioßenrall;
the Lonp's Supper In opposition to the deed of
has acted in a manner subversive of the order of the Presbyteria:l
Church; and that his offence in this case is aggravated by the
charges which he preferred against the Members of his the
sion ; and that for these offences he is liable CO censure." T.,h:
Synod then proceeded to give judgment with respect tosote!
censure which should be inflicted, and after long inn
ing agreed, " that for the offences of which he hes ort,',
found guilty, he shall be suspended from the exercise.:
his office, and from Church fellowship, until neit 17%1;19
of Synod, and that he shall be summoned tont atten-f this
Meeting, In order that he may be rebuked at the bo2iisc,,
Court, and that he may be further dealt with a* thefi.3l„ed
cause, according to the rules of the church; and we, Synod
hereby suspends Mr. Fletcher, and appoints accordlniqlsider
certification."—Friday, the ommittee appointed to ,c""
opTfohr set u;fp.oallilnloydwi,ningaisg:tlgeteceancobtllney:riteoeng itsawtieorrecone
aiinlusomitelabnritopoianti-sotr:
sede,ettidlo,heelioncSesSiteavi°,l.ll°;lliran_'w);',6o'.(
sermon during Mr. Fletcher's suspension, presented their
flay, of Kinross, and the Rev. Wm. Xidstont of Glasgow].
were appointed to go to London, to intimate the senteneemr.
the Synod, and to preach there 1 • October and Novelette
t urn-1g °mow or
supply during the remainder of the tun-'-- and
I.llr. s
of
Glasgow ; r. Thomson, of Coldstream; and Mr. Lillis
Saltcoats.

ALBION C /IA PEI 4. 1 eel
Yesterday the subscribers to the Albion Presbyterian c 1 r_
in Moorfields, having expected a visit from certain niessentf7,
of the Synod with respect to the avowed determination °I Si,
Fletcher to preach at the Albion Chapel, notwithstanding t
ti
suspension trom the sacred office, a vast crowd of the fre.'inen)eir.
of that place of worship assembled. On Monday 10,4 he
Fletcher received official intelligence from Scotland,
of
was suspended from the performance of the tube,, o
Presbyterian Church, in consequence of what tong P_,..:r;
the occasion of his acquaintance with Miss Dick, on ribe't;,„ of
an action was brought against him for a breach of plern'tos.
marriage. The authorities in London received at the saMeiiii it
directions to take possession of the pulpit, and apPnint ~„ ept
should be made by the Synod. Mr. Fletcher has dared
some worthy member of the Kirk, until the final tirrang's''ai,,
t 0,...,,
puce the power of the Synod, and conceives it to be a 11104!:
of religion to pursue its Ministers to destruction, without'
undeniable testimony of moral guilt, and therefore Slyreok
%""
with the approbation of the supporters of the chapel, ite
so notice of the formal condemnation. With this feeling ~
went, accompanied by several of the subscribers, to the eliag,o.
Ibt te there s i
gned vestry m
in order to resist any attempt to dispossess them. 1:01
diately before the hour for commencement of service hr_hol
some of the Elders of Miles's-lane Meeting-house ke,,7,14
door,hem ,apordoddueciinnagnadtedthtehsaatmtleletimptedPettel:"Ttith-se;
authority of the snod. Afr. Fletcher's friends sew
certainly would not acknowledge the power of that IsetlYn'alen.,
their case, as they had built the chapel for their ownacelt.r
lie examination, and who were responsible to
tion, and were in the habit of filling the pulpit with. Dorm
R,
whose moral conduct and abilities would stand the but (hihoise
ono but
who appointed them. drn nee of
The chapel was crowded to excess during the pulpit, Pao
hap.
the service. Mr. Fletcher, upon going into the pulPit, Paeli
observed that many strangers had assembled-'tome
p of
the
from mere curiosity, to witness the conduct of a itlioilro - the
Gospel under such peculiar circumstances, and
interest so naturally arising Out of the fact of the susP l'_!itlio,
but the question was, whether he was to bow to itimasn_neLA to
rity, dictating what was against his conscience, or to
_litie7,
the voice of God, which enjoined him an adherence to , the, in
trines he had been ;Accustomed to preach, and a er° in
promulgating them. lie had decided for the latter; area
obedience to the will of Heaven, would continue to a
those around him. , sboulit
We understand, that if the Trustees of the ClinPe' oa, the
form a resolution to put into effect the order of the Sfilh.,), Air.
Subscribers will immediately build another Chapel 't t ell'
Fletcher. It is not, however, expected that any littera
be made to enforce the judgment of die Synod. he
ti•
The whole matter is capable of being soon settled. bat
Associate Synod has no authority in England or •"cot'cleteher
what it derives from the consent of individuals. If Mr. ' ,„,,f to
must '-
wishes to rentals connected with the Secession, he
__„„egi to
its authority; if he does not bow to its authority, lie `l,-eesge
others t
eugio ;
belong to it. Those who support hint after this refinon?Ateece
;%4,
or
also to be Burghers or Anti-Burghers for implicit leitot:
to Church Judicatories must be yielded by all
either to the Established Presbyterian Church of Sr°
the Presbyterian Separatists.