The Sun.
London, England, 1824-12-07 00:00:00

TUE LONDON JOURNALS.

DAILY
Extracts from the Morning Papers, Dec. 7.

[narristt elms.]
The royal order for placing on the retired list
all the French Generals, who having attained the
age of fifty years are entitled to the full pension,
has excited a strong sensation in the political
circles of Paris. France is the only country in
Europe in which there is a fixed term beyond
which, without any reference to their wishes or
ability, no military officer is permitted to remain
in the service of the State. The leave to retire
pit fifty years of age was originally intended as a
beim to those who might, for particular reasons,
desire to avail themselves, of it : but it is now con-
verted by the Ministry into an oppressive engine
to drive from the army all the veterans who do not
enjoy their favour. It will be in vain that Charles
X. may continue to compliment the military
by a visit to the Invalids, or the gift of a few
crosses of honour, if he suffer his Ministers, by
one sudden blow, to strike off sixty Generals
from the list of active service. Our Correspondent,
whose letter on this subject will be read with
peculiar interest, gives an account of some other
plans, which it is understood, in the best-in-
formed society, M. de Villele has formed for the
maintenance of his power. The measures he is
persuading his Sovereign to sanction, in spite of
-the King's better judgment and the strenuous
opposition of the Dauphin seem to show, that he
possesses some extraordinary influence over the
Royal judgment, not likely, we think, soon to
give way to any force that can be marshalled
against him. lie has firmly withstood the shock
resulting from the accession of the new Mo.
xiarch, and it. is not probable that the Chem-
-her of Deputies will declare against him, unless
by the violence of his schemes to retain office
lie should raise too general a storm of public in-
dignation. We can conceive no measure so ill-
judged in that point of view as this, by which
sixty of the most distinguished Generals of the
French army are, by a single stroke of the pen,
absolutely dismissed into retirement. In one re-
spect, perhaps, it may be acceptable to the
Eoyalists. Hardly one Officer, who acquired
eminence during the duys of the Republic, will
now remain In the ranks that march under the
white flag. Whether it be wise or just to ma-
nifest this distrust of the soldiers of the Re-
volution we will not now discuss ; but we cannot
refrain from expressing our disapprobation of
an arbitrary act, utterly irreconcilable with our
11000113 of what is fairly and honestly due to all
public servants. The measure, we understand,
is to be carried into execution in a mode worthy
of the design with which it was conceived.

[MORNING HERALD.]
It appears another of our Colonial Governors
is about being removed from his Government,
but for what reason we are not yet aware of—
viz. Major-Gen. Sir Thomas Brisbane, K. C. B.
and to be relieved by Major-General Darling.

The Commander of our Forces in the West
Indies and Governor of Barhadoes, Lieutenant-
General Sir Henry Warde, K. C. B. is expected
daily in England on leave of absence, which
leave is generally tanta►nuunt to a resignation on
the Officer's part.—(lbid.)

[THE TIMES.]
• We inserted an article from a correspondent
yesterday, on the subject of a protest tendered
too clergyman of the Church of England, by a
couple about to be married, against the cere.
Many eccording to which the clergyman was
bound by his duty and solemn obligation to per.
form the rite. The manner in which we have
here stated the case will show our opinion
upon it. If the clergyman had previously
promised to accept the protest, he had inad-
vertently entered into an improper engage.
ritent, from the infraction of which, how-
ever, the party with whom the engagement
was made could receive no damage ; for what
good could this protest do them, unless the de-
gradation of the parish priest were a good to
those who were married by him ? What 'have
the Clergy of the Established Church to do with
protests of this nature ? Or where is the accept-
ance of them enjoined as a part of their duty ?
It is not optional with tl►e►n to use or to omit a
pert of any of the Church ceremonies. They
pledge themselves, and are solemnly bound at
their ordination, " to. comply with the Liturgy
►' of the Church of England ; their hands, there-
fore, are tied ; and it seems excessively foolish to
pester them with protests h► an affair to-
tally beyond their controol. It would be quite
as rational in the clergyman to give the couple a
protest on account of their faith, as for them to
give him one on account of a rite contained in
the Book of Common Prayer. Indeed, it appears to
us) that if a Dissenting couple must tender a
protest on account of .their,being married in the
church, and according; to its ritual,
.the minister
of their own' Dissenting congregation is the pro.
per person to whom the ;protest should .be ten.
tiered, and by whom' it should be received ; for
by such it process, he learns awl is assured, that
though this portion of his dock may seem to quit
hire nu the most important occasion of their lives,
it is only beCause the existing law of the land
forces them, and that he is not therefore to es-
teem them as renegades or deserters,

[MORNING POST.]
We received last. night French Papers to the
sth inst. and the Etoile of Sunday. Their con-
u•ots are of less than usual importance. There
ire letters from Madrid nhich say, that if the.
Infants of Spain postpone or abandon their inten-
tion of is [[airing to Naples and Portugal, it i►s on
account of the King's illness, whiCh had assumed
a very grave character. The Council of Castile
had been soddenly summoned, and the matter
was deemed of such importance that even the
sobers who were ill had rt ceived orders to at-
tend.. Some seemed to imagine that the rho-
twittery danger which lately threatened the fife
of rerdinand'had been the cause of this extraor.
ordinary meeting ; but others state that the object