The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-30 00:00:00

tenirfar

LuNDON, FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1847.

London and Westminster have nobly emulated the
enthusiasm of Finsbury. The triumphant return of
the popular candidates, DUNCOMUE and WaKLET, has
been immediately followed by the equally triumphant
return of five Liberal candidates—RUSSELL, PATTI..
sox, ROTHSCHILD, EVANS, and LusulNGTON—
for the twin cities of the metropolis. Nothing
could by possibility be more indicative of the ardent
love of political reform which animates at this mo-
ment the vast bulk of the population. The enormous
divisions of party, the virtual abdication of the Con-
servative chieftains, the utter annihilation of the
system of protection, the installation in office of those
statesmen and their colleagues who have been foremost
in aiding in the destruction of constitutional abuses—
in carrying through the Houses of Legislature the
great measure of Parliamentary Reform, in emanci-
pating the Catholics, in forwarding the Test and
Corporation Act, in sustaining the cau-e of national
education, in striving for the prevention of famine in
Ireland, in maintaining the necessity of sanitary in-
novations, and, above all, in assisting Mr. VIL..
1.1E28, Mr. COBDEN, and Sir ROBERT PEEL in
giving freedom to the commerce of the British em-
-pire—all these things combined have vanquished
Toryism and imparted irresistible strength to its
antagonists. Is any testimony required of this ?
It is afforded in the spirit which is already evinced in
the different metropolitan and prorinciai elections.
can
And, although the capital of England scarcely be
called with so much accuracy as the capital of France,
t.
the
the concentration or embodiment ofentire
!re
kingdom—it would be frivolous to deny that the
dis-
position manifested in our metropolis invariably and
perceptibly influences the political movements in the
provinces. The political rays of the French depart.
inents and arrondissements are concentrated into one
focus through the lens of Paris, they emit one pre.
dominant colour through the prism of the Parisian
circles. In England the influence of the metropolitan
constituency as rather an influence of divergence than
of concentration. The abilities of the provincialists
across the Channel all merge towards the great city
en the banks of the Seine. A contrary transmission
is visible in our insular territories. Paris is France,
because it is the accumulation of all the talents, of all
the ardour, of all the antagonism, and of all the civic
assiduity of the entire population. London cannot
be regarded in like - -
itself all the talent,
agitati manner as comprising within
assiduity of the United Ki:,fdardour, antagonism, and
Vast as it is in
its dimensions, populous as it enterprising as it is,
gigantic as are its resources, inexhaustible as is
la
its wealth, London is in no er comparable to
Paris in this particular—namely, in
species of democratic, or rather municipaxierdecispointgisma
over the general community. Centralisations i
not
90 much in vogue with ourselves as to delegate to the
capita cif the empire the control over the tuitional

destinies. With our neighbours it is otherwise :
centralisation is with them the principle, not only of
the constitution, but of public opinion into the bargain.
In this manner Paris has long continued to be the
lawgiver of France. whereas London has invested itself
with the loftier dignity, and the lesser responsibility
cf guarding the national interests, and of guiding the
national movement by its example. Especially is this
Shown at the period cf general elections. The deci-
sion of the metropolitan constituencies affects the
decision of a very large majority of the provincial
constituencies. The conduct pursued by the electors
of London becomes contagious. The different
boroughs and counties are depressed or elevated, are
discouraged or reanimated, according as the polling
terminates in London. This fact is indisputable ; it
is shown by reference to the Parliamentary Guide
Book of the last half century ; and, therefore, are we
in a peculiar manner rejoiced at the earnest liberality
displayed by our fellow- citizens.
Honour ! again we exclaim, to the electors of Lon-
don and Westminster, as well as to those of Finsbury.
By placing Lord Jows RussELL at the very top of the
poll the City constituency has afforded the present
Government a splendid mark of approbation, and of
encouragement in the midst of the enormous difficulties
which yet remain to be vanquished. Great as is the
ability of the Administration, staunch as is the dis-
position of each of its members in the maintenance
of a liberal and enlightened policy, it required, never-
theless, some such emphatic approval and encourage-
ment as that afforded yesterday by the city of London.
Not only was the Prime Minister himself returned,
but two of his political associates are returned like-
wise. Not only are these three Liberal candidates ac-
cepted in the city of London, in the teeth of a most
violent opposition, but Sir DE LACY EVANS and Mr.
CHARLES LUSHINGYON obtained the majority of the
suffrages in the city of Westminster, even when
brought into collision with Lord MANDEVILLE and
Mr. CHARLES COCHIIANE.

While we exult over these preliminary victories,
we are nevertheless indignant at the path which has
been followed in several of the provincial elections.
Bath has disgraced itself in the face of the
whole country. The constituency of Bath
has rendered itself contemptible in the estimation of
every honest-minded politician in the empire, by
throwing out such a man as Mr. ROEBUCK, after
fifteen years of earnest and honourable service. In
those fifteen years Mr. ROEBUCK has elevated him-
self into the position of one of the most distinguished
men in the British Parliament, and in so elevating
himself he has elevated his constituency. Hence-
forth we trust that Mr. ROEBUCK will aspire to the
representation of some city less remarkable for its
fickleness and ingratitude. He is worthy of a con-
stituency of mere steadfast principles and of a more
elevated character. The intimidation practised upon
the Liberal electors of Bath is something absolutely
disgraceful, and the libellous nature of many of the
Conservative manifestoes has been little creditable to
the opponents of the disc.irded candidate. Mr. ROE
nucx has at least this consolation, that his honesty
has been in no degree compromised. The other
elections which have already terminated are duly
recorded in our columns, and are in the aggregate
most propitious and exhilirating.

There is scarcely any topic which can divide the
public attention, or obtain a share in the all-absorb-
ing interest with which the progress of the several
elections throughout the country are regarded. A
variety of conflicting feelings are excited ; at one
moment all is triumph and joyous congratulation for
the glorious majorities recorded in favour of the
popular candidates and the tried supporters of a
Liberal policy—at another, feelings of regret become
predominant when we find those who by a long, con-
sistent, and useful career, had earned golden opinions
for themselves, rejected by the constituencies for
whom they had laboured with ability and fi lelity,
and replaced by others of far inferior qualifications,
who could put forward no well-grounded claims to
the suffrages of the electors. Hitherto in the excite-
ment prevailing with respect to the contests in this
country, the Irish elections have been comparatively
lost sight of, and yet at no former period in the his-
tory of our sister island have so many extraordinary
phenomena been apparent as at the present moment.
A. total change appears to have taken place in the
feelings of the different parties. We find, in many
instances, those who have heretofore been the
most ultra-Tories, the supporters of Protestant
ascendency in its most oppressive forms, the unflinch-
ing opponents of Catholic emancipation, of reform
and of every other change by which the religion of
the vast majority has been tolerated, and freed from
the pains and penalties that formerly were inflicted
on its professors, and by which their freedom of con-
science was fettered and restrained, selected by clubs
calling themselves Liberal, as the popular candidates,
in opposition to those who had ever been their warmest
friends, and had effectually exerted themselves for the
removal of every disability, and the establishment of a
perfect equality for Ireland in every civil, political,
and religious privilege. A new class have started
into existence. Conservative repealers, independent
lushmen, or by whatsoever names they delight
to call themselves, are all Tories in disguise,
who for a brief period consent to favour the popular
delusion; and, being well aware of the utter imprac-
ticability of the proposition, declare themselves the
advocates for a repeal of the legislative union sub-
sisting between the countries, while, in all other re-
spects, they maintain and avow their ancient
orange propensities, and their scarcely disguised
antipathy to the religion of the people, and to every
question supported and desired by the popular leaders.
The veteran Patriot who so long guided and di-
rected the fellings of the people has, unfortunately,
been removEd. His sagacity and wisdom is sadly
wanting at the present crisis to preserve his coun-
trymen from the folly which they are about
to perpetuate, while the most avowed and open ene-
in:es of the people are suffered to walk over the course
and to obtain their seats without a contest; or, still
worse, are supported by those whom they desire to
trample on and keep down, and with whom they are
at variance on every point, in preference to the men
who conscientiously differ in one respect only, and
who should have earned, by their previous conduct,
the undying gratitude of the people, but which is
capriciously withheld by the fickle and unstable mul-
titude. Thus we find the Orange candidates unop-
posed in that metropolis which for three successive
Parliaments had returned the Liberator and a congenial
associate. What can have been discovered in the past
services of Messrs. GROGAN and GREGORY to disarm
the opposition which had previously been offered to
their return ? Is it to their fanatical resistance to the
increased grant to Maynooth, and the more decent
provision for the education of the future pastors of
the people, and their more fitting preparation for the
discharge of their sacred duties, that they owe their
more favourable reception, or is it ascribable to their
rabid hostility to the national system of education, or
to the fame acquired by Mr. GREGORY for his intro-
duction of the " celebrated quarter-acre" clause,
and that fur providing an emigration fund
out of the rates for the relief of the poor in
the recent statute.? We can easily conceive
how these acts would have enhanced their merits in
the eyes of the Tory landlords, and those who de-
sire to have every possible facility afforded for the
enjoyment of their favourite propensity, the clear-
ance of their estates, and the banishment of the
wretched cottiers from their humble holdings ; but
how they can be approved of by the metropolitan
constituency of Ireland we are at a loss to conceive.
Again, the county of Dublin, which from 1826 to
1841, had been represented by Liberals, and in
which, after a most arduous contest, two Tories were
seated by a trifling
mtaojorreittyu,rnonthte ohelld Masteelmecbteiorns:
i is, it is said, about
without the slightest effort for itslibiseruantinoen from the
thraldom in which it is placed. It
multiply instances; similar result may be dciesscsoaZ ery tdo
in various other counties and boroughs, %bile the
accomplished, the honest, the indefatigable Tiromas
Wvsx--the brilltianet
Lainhdere
j Secretaryeffectiveora for Ireland,torßicnaan
L
whose
SHELL
—h
appointment to that high office ought
Lc.B
recent
to have afforded the best proof to his countrymen of
the friendly feelings entertained towards them by her
MAJESTY'S Government, and of the auspicious measures
that are contemplated for the future benefit
of Ireland—are to be opposed with the greatest
activity and virulence. Shame, shame to the
Irish people if they coutimie to pursue so

absurd and insensate a course They will
alienate from themselves the respect and regard of all
good min. It is not a time when they should be
forgetful of all that has been done by England on
their behalf during. the season of their adversity, or
make an unreasoning hostility to the English con-
nexion the sole criterion by which the merits and qua-
lifications of the several candidates is to be tested and
estimated.

A Letter from Berlin, in a Frankfort journal of
the 26th, states that two English missionaries had
arrived at Berlin from Cracow, the Austrian authori-
ties not having permitted them to fix their residence
at Cracow, notwithstanding the intercession of the
British Ambassador at Vienna, who received for re-
ply that it was contrary to law to tolerate religious
missionaries in any part of the Austrian territories.

Madrid papers of the 23d have arrived.
The Gageta denies that there is any truth in the
statement that the Minister-at-War had sent a copy
of his letter to the King's major-demo to the chiefs
of the palace.
The KING drives into Madrid every day. The
Ministers had left for La Granja, to attend the
QUEEN'S levee.
According to the Clamor Publico the 25th was the
day fixed fur the Carlist outbreak in Navarre and the
Basque provinces.
MADRID BOLSA, JULY 23.—The Three per Cents.
were done at 27 for cash; the Five per Cents. at 17*,
and the Debt without interest at si.