The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-04 00:00:00

EVENING SUN '

SECOND EDITIOI\

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THU. DAY.

GLOBE.—The Westminster Review says that the
policy of the Liberal party is" simply to subniit with as
good a grace as possible to what cannot be helped, and
to employ a season of comparative repose in preparation
for the time of action. It would be useless and mis-
chievous to attempt to strive against the stream. The
feeling is, let by-gorses be by-gones." Sir Robert Peel,'
it is said, should have fair play ; give him time to
consider his measures ; and no matter whether the re-
quest be reasonable or not, from our knowledge of the
men and their principles—time must be given. Re-
formers may and ought to avail themselves of every
opportunity that presents itself for calling attention to
the state of the country, and the measures necessary for
its relief ; every means should be taken to strengthen
the impression made on the public mind in favour of com-
mercial freedom ; hut the present is not the time foe
attack, and all attempts to harass or impede the
operations of the new Government, will only weaker
the party making them, and cause them to be con-
demned by the public as impracticable theorists."
" Impracticable theorists," indeed, they mutt be, who
could think of harassing or impeding the actual " opera•
tions of the new Government." But we hope we shall
not pass for " impracticable theorists," when we say that
it appears to us that very just subjects for attack have
already been given by the Teal or affected ignorance
which has been displayed by the most prominent mem-
bers of the present Administration, either of any bad
effects at all, or at least of the worst effjcts (if the Corn-
laws. If those effects have really escaped them, it is
time they were better instructed. If they have not
escaped them, it affords no hopeful presage of their in-
tentions that they choose to show not the slightest con-
sciousness of their existence. In either case it must be
proper to forewarn the public that here are state-doctors,
who have regularly been called in, and touched the
mach-insisted-on honorarium, yet who overlook the most
marked symptoms of thilitatient's disease, while they
assert complacently the absence of other symptoms, far
less decisive of its character than those they pass, igno-
rantly or wilfully, sub silentio.
COURIER.—The speech of John Quincy Adams in
the American Congress on the subject of the impri-
sonment of M‘Leod, and the arrogation of the
rights of a separate sovereignty by New York, dis-
tinct from and independent of that of the Union
quoad foreign states, was worthy of that distinguished
publicist and statesman. The arrogant pretensions
about States' rights, and Judge Cowan's distorted
and intemperate interpretation of the law of nations,
he tore into shreds and tatters. Nor was his com-
mendation of the pacific policy and enlightened views
of Mr. Daniel Webster, the American Foreign Secre-
tary, less earnestly and disinterestedy delivered. These
strong expressions of feeling and opinion may be ac-
cepted, we trust, as of good omen for the ultimate escape
of the unfortunate M'Leod from the disgraceful issue
to which he was so insolently consigned by the New York
people. In justice to Mr. Fox, our Minister at Wash-
ington, it is but fair to rescue him from any implication
in that disgraceful apathy by which the diplomacy of the
late 'Foreign Secretary here has been so strikingly cha-
racterised in the course of the negotiations undertaken
or suspended relative to this untoward affair. The pub-
lished despatches of Mr. Fox suffice fel'y to exonerate
him from any, the least, share in that connivance or
acquiescence, craven as culpable, in the insulting as-
sertion of irresponsible authority, by the self-styled
" empire State" of New York, to which the manacled
M'Leod owes his irons and twelve months' incatceration.
The remonstrances of Mr. Fox, whilst left free to act of
his own volition, against tho atrocious acts of the New
York authorities, were couched in the mauly, energetic
language, well becoming the representative of the greatest
of States and of Sovereigns, nad notpess beseeming in a
functionary boasting the honoured name and of the linewse
of one of the most celebrated of British orators and states-
men.

STANDARD.—AII the higher officers of the Irish
Administration—all, in fact, whose opinions and temper
can be supposed to influence the tendency of the Govern-
ment, have been changed, with the approbation of all par-
ties. This is an auspicious beginning; and is the'good effect of
such a beginning to be sacrificed by a jealous' search
for opportunities for displacing subordinates who can
exercise no power ? Would not such a jealous
search, in fact, prove that a delusion had been at-
tempted by the higher appointnients, and that sub-
stantially a system of retaliation is meditated ? As
opportunities shall naturally arise, we are sure that
Protestantism will not, as fur the last ten years
and more, constitute a bar to the favour of the
Crown where merit and qualifications can be pleaded ;
and equally sure we are that opportunities for recog-
nising the claims of Roman Catholics will be anxiously
looked for. Meanwhile the interests of all good men
are best consulted by making as little change as possible.
The present effect may be to disappoint some, but the
Protestants of Ireland are not disappointed, as the
electors of Sligo have said for them ; and with the dis-
appointed few, we confess, that we hare little
.sym-
pathy. We have it from the most sacred authority,
that "no man can serve two masters, but that
he will hate the ene [whatever he may pretend], and
serve the other ;" the truth is no where more manifest
than in politics. No man can serve public principles
and his own interests at the same time.. A man may take
an office with consistency and honour, but we question
much the purity of intention of one who expects a place,
and still more of one who labours by political activity to
earn a place. The only politicians entitled to respect or
confidence are they who fling behind them all considera-
tions of personal interest when they enter the arena.