The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-14 00:00:00

MR. HORACE T wISS AND LORD
• C H ARLES FITZROY.
.TO THE EDITOR. OF THE SUN.
Srn,— My attention has been called to a speech of Mr.
Horace TWiss, in the Btu:// Herald, and inserted in the
Times of the 2d July, in which the following passage
occurs:—" Mr. Twiss then referred to his own official
and political life, and contrasted it with the Parliamen-
tary career of Lord Charles, of whose performances in
the House of Commons, he believed the sum and sub-
stance to have been a couple of motions, containing
accusations against that able and estimable officer, Sir
Howard Douglas, which charges the House of Commons;
in both instances, declined to'entertain."
Content to enjoy, during a residence of many years in
this country, the blessings of British freedom, . I have
thought it hitherto my duty, as 'a foreigner, to avoid all
interineddling in the clash of,thoie
...political conflicts, in
which the vitality of that freedom has its origin; tor'
even, as an lonian, should I have interposed on the pre-
sent occasion, had I not seen his generous advocacy of
the rights of my countrymen, brought forward on the
hustings as a charge against Lord C. Fitzroy, and the
very prudence with which he has conducted that advo-
cacy to success, instanceif. against him as a proof of
feebleness and inertness of 'purpose.
On the merits of the question in dispute between
the lonians and the tyranny which has so long
overshadowed their prosperity, and shackled all their
energies, I shall not attempt at present to trouble
your readers; suffice it to say, that until our
cause was nobly taken up by: Lord Fitzroy, the
lonian Islands (a free State under British protection)
presented a spectacle, to the neighbouring. States of
Europe, of worse than Russian despotism, Austrian
espionage, or Turkish recklessness of all rule and right.
To resist was impossible—to remonstrate useless—to pe- •
tition not useless only, but dangerous ; while even to
think, to speak, or to read an opinion contrary to that
of Sir H. Douglas and his subordinates, was sufficient to
bring upon the offender a charge of conspiracy, and ex-
pose him to the seizure of his papers, to exile, to im-
p.risonment, and to (what, from my own personal expe-
rience, I may almost call worse) published calumnies
against hiM in the official Gazettes, despatches, and
widely circulated correspondence of her Majesty's Am-
baSsador at Athens,' and her Majesty's Lord High Com-
Missioner in the lonian Islands.
.Under these circumstances, with a kill consciousness
of. his danger, and willing to endure it, the Chevalier
Mustoxidi, an eminent scholar and distinguished citizen,
enjoying, the highest consideration in his country, ad-
dressed a memorial to the British Government, calling
upon it, in the name of his countrymen, for protection
and redress, and some modifications in our Constitution.
Upon this memorial Lord Fitzroy based the first of those
motions, which Mr. IL Twiss calls " accusations against
that able and estimable officer, Sir Howard Douglas."
The result of the announcement of Lord Fitzroy's first
motion, was a -despatoli from Lord J. Fussell, in which
hiS Lordship, after annunciating what lie considered the
principles on which the lonian Islands should be go-
verned, • conceded the necessity of the reform indicated
in Mr. Mustoxidi's memorial, and suggested to the Lord
High COMmissioner an inquiry into the practicability of
putting them immediately into effect.
Upon the announcement of this despatch, having thus
obtained all he sought, Lord C. Fitzroy withdrew his
motion, which was in fact merely a notice for papers, on
which to base a preliminary inquiry. But, charged with
a mission to examine his own actions, and show the im-
policy of all his previous acts, what was the conduct of
Sir Howard Douglas, the Lord High Commissioner ?
He retorted upon those who complained of his adminis-
tration, charges of disaffection to the British protection ;
accused them of being Russian partisans ; criminated
them as implicated in some Philorthodox conspiracy, at
Athens, which never had existence ; seized on the
papers of Mr. Mustoxidi and other eminent citizens; and
wrote off a reply to Lord J. Russell's despatch, declaring
that such was the state of feeling in the islands, that the
grant of liberal institutions to the islands would be
fraught with imminent danger to the British protection,
and must therefore be indefinitely postponed.
Upon this despatch Lord Fitzroy grounded a motion
for inquiry into the truth of its statements ;'but Sir 11.
Douglas having been superseded in the meantime by
Mr. Stuart Mackenzie, her Majesty's Ministers consi-
dered that they had conceded enough, and that further
inquiry might be looked upon as personally invidious to
Sir H. Douglas. They therefore associated themselves
with the personal friends of Sir H. Douglas, and nega-
tived the motion of Lord C. Fitzroy. The main object,
however, of that motion was obtained—the retirement of
Sir H. Douglas, and the registry of a public remon-
strance against certain acts on his part.
This, then, is a sufficient testimony of the services
rendered to the lonian people by Lord Fitzroy ; if more
were wanting, let me enumerate the gratitude expressed
by all lonian citizens ; the addresses from ali the islands;
the tribute of a gold medal struck in his honour, and
lately presented to him ; and, lastly, the heartfelt grati-
tude of all who, like myself, have been cognizant from
the beginning of his Lordship's hearty zeal and untiring
exertions in our cause.
I have the honour to be, Mr. Editor,
Your obedient, humble servant,
AN lONIAN.
Colonial Club, London, July 7, 1841.