The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-24 00:00:00

THE Su N. LONDON'. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24. is-to

manding-in-Chief your letters of the 31st August and
12th September last, with the several papers which ac-
company them, relating to a difference between Major-
(lateral Sleigh and Brigadier Willshite, both serving
in the army of Bombay, I am directed to communicate
to you the observations which have occurred to his
Lordship, upon an attentive consideration of the case.
Before conveying those observations, however, it may
be useful to show the grounds on which they are based,
and which relate exclusively to the controversy between
Major-General Sleigh and Brigadier Wiltshire.
" Major- General Sleigh, commanding a division of
the Bombay army, places in arrest his second in com-
mand for issuing a brigade order, which Brigadier Will-
shire asserts he was personally instructed to do by the
Commander-in-Chief. The Brigadier urgently requests
that reference may be made to the Commander-m-
Chief, who was actually on the spot. Ivlejor-General
Sleigh does not think it necessary to satisfy himself upon
this point, which he might have done in a few minutes,
but orders Brigadier Willshire into arrest, and by a
di-
visional order, places the command of his brigade in
charge of a Lieutenant-Colonel of an European rep •
ment, LieutenaneColonel Sheriff.
" That the Brigadier was right in his affirmation, is
proved by the conduct of the Commander-in-Chief, who
immediately releases him from arrest, and reports to the
Commander-in-Chief of the whole army at Calcutta
this extraordinary proceeding of the Major-General.
The Co:nmander-in Chief takes the same view of the
matter, and reports the Major-General to General
Lord Hill, as unfit to continue in his position as com.
mender of a. division of the Bombay army. There
does not appear to Lord Hill to be the smallest circum-
stance in any part of this case which can be favour-
ably considered as, extenuating the conduct of Major-
General Sleigh, which in its consequences has proved
extremely hurtful to the feelings of an officer of rank,
second only to himself in the division, and of equal
length of military experience and service ; and the ex-
ample of such casual exercise of military authority can-
not have any other than the most injurious effect on
the interests of his Majesty's service. If it be said
that the Major-General had some previous cause of
dissatisfaction with the Brigadier (as may in part be
gathered from some passages in the correspondence), so
far from extenuating, it would be serious aggravation,
as proving that the motives which influenced his con-
duct in this proceeding had other and personal bearings,
wholly at variance with the good of the King's service,
and that the duties of his commend were thus made
secondary to, and his authority taken advantage of, and
unduly exercised under the influence of feelings not in
strict accordance with the performance of his military
duty. It is not, therefore, to the advantage of the
Major-General to have reference to anything contro-
versial that may have passed between him and the Bri-
gadier antecedently to the conduct which has given rise
to the complaint.
" It is also unfortunate for the Major-General that, in
his endeavour to justify his conduct, he has had recourse
to, and placed reliance on a precedent in the case of
Colonel --, the whole proceedings of which, as shown
in the documents transmitted, are of a totally opposite
character, and whose resistance to the orders of the su-
perior officer was systematic, determined, and inju-
rious to the public service, and also, when the General
officer commanding the division was at a distance of two
hundred miles ; whereas, in the case under considera•
tion, the Brigadier affirmed that he had acted in obe-
dience to the orders personally given to him by the
Commander-in-Chief, and, to confirm his affirmation,
only requested that reference might be made to that
officer, he being on the spot, and within five minutes'
walk. This abortive attempt at a justification thereof,
on the part of the Major-General, is not calculated to
place either his military judgment or discretion, in the
question at issue, in a favourable point of view before
the General Commanding-in-Chief.
" In this view of the case, which appears to be
much the same as that taken by yourself, and which is
fully supported by the documents transmitted in your
letter, it has become a matter for the serious conside-
ration of Lord Hill in what manner to dispose of it.
Major-General Sleigh, in his letter of exculpation,
reasonably claims credit for his good conduct during a
period of service of forty-one years, and he has been
fully supported by most honourable testimonials from
Lord Combermere, Lord Dalhousie, and Lord William
Bentinck ; but. the Major-General wholly lost sight of
the value of such claim, in the exercise of his own
military authority over an officer of equal service, and
of unblemished reputation, when he so unadvisedly paced
that officer, his second in command, under arrest.
to remove the Major-General from his commend
in India, and thus to injure his present character and
futui e prospects, however justifiable such a measure
would be, might be said to be not altogether free from
that severity with which he has acted towards another,
upon this occasion, and for which his conduct is now
under the just censure of the Gerteral Commanding-in-
Chief ; and, therefore, all circumstances considered, and
giving full weight to the honourable testimonials which
have been adduced in favour of Major-General Sleigh,
Lord Hill is not disposed to carry this matter further
than to convey to you his entire concurrence in the sen-
timents you have already expressed, and to desire the
Major-General may be removed from his command in
Bombay to such other station as in your judgment may
be most expedient ; and that his Lordship's opinion
upon the case may be fully communicated to him by
sending him a copy of this letter.
I have, Sze.,
(Signed) " FITZROY SOMERSET.
"' Horse Guards, S.lpt. 13, 1837: "

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR-It is v.,lth no small degree of surprise that I
read in your paper of Monday an explanation to the
effect that the Court-martial to be held on Captain
Reynolds is not the one which the public very gene-
rally imagined had at length been extorted from Lord
Hi 1, at the instance of the officer of that name, who
has recently had a charge of insubordination privately
exhibited against him at the Horse Guards, and who,
without having been proven " Guilty," has been first
gagged, and then degraded in the sight of his regiment
at the instigation of his commanding officer.
Is it, Sir, a positive fact that there is to be no
inquiry into this case? Then, may I ask you, has this
flagrant piece of official jugglery, (Indian of course),
been perpetrated under the colour and protection of
the law ?—and is the army such a set of branded slaves
as to receive such a precedent without a protest ? Do I
do any clique among them the injustice to believe that
there is a pack who arc always ready to join the
" jackall cry,"—to hunt down justice for the gratifica-
tion of authority ? or does the Commander-in-Chief
" stand alone in his glory"—in his peculiar ideas of dis-
pensing equity to his brother officers ?
The truth is, Sir, the matter has now become a
public question. The official car, blandly open to the
ex-parte statement of " My Lord," has been doggedly
deat to the entreaties to hear evidence of the Captain.
We cannot consent to be accused of noting falsely this
respect of persons, ':chile the account stands thus ; and
we should find, 1 think, little difficulty in proving the
plea for refusing an investigation, to be a very consider-
able aggravation of the offence.
The good of the service indeed !—ls the sacred
name of justice then to be degraded for " the good of
the service ?" Heaven help our simplicity, we had not
even imagined its utility.
That. the commencement of this affair was broogllt
about by an outrageous message, and that ',lie bearer
who delivered it, by using such an Gfiiensive form of ex-
pression, and by claiming his right use it, identified
himself so ;or with the spiw;.t. of it as fully to justify
the little irritation t":1",'IcIi appears to have been exhi-
bited, none };lit the pack before alluded to will, I think,
be di'_7oosed to deny. While Captain Reynolds' gentle-
manly firmness in declining to allow himself to be com-
mitted on the question of personal humiliation to the
other Captain, after having frankly and fully declared
he bad no enmity with him, and offered his apologies to
his Commanding Officer, is very highly to be applauded,
and should have pleaded most effectually in his defence.
He may rest assured that it has done so with the public,
and it is witit his oppressors that the public have now to
deal. They can pass judgment too. They can " stig-
matise as pernicious and vindictive" conduct such as
this, and that not simply before their regiments, but
before their country ; and can inform them with a
mightier reason that the sooner they have their
" marching tickets" the better. To such a verdict as
this, something having reference "to the good of the
service" might be appended with a better grace, and
might teach " official authority" that to judge justly is
the only way to govern safely.
I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant,
Kendal, Sept. 23, 1840. T. P. S.

GOVERNMENT OF THE ARMY.

there is not a doubt that every commanding officer has the
power, by this means, of secretly stabbing those he dis-
likes, and thereby registering their names in the hatred of
the powers that be ; and there is no doubt that, so encou-
raged, but too nanny do so. The Navy too, appears to
have been infected with the same disgrace, if we call to
mind those confidential reports—that which Admiral
Codrington was required to substantiate against Cap-
tain Dickenson.—Your obedient servant,

G. BEAUCLERC.
Late Captain 231 Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
23, Grosvenor-street West, Grosvenor-place,
Sept. 23, 1840.

TO THE L

LONDON

GENTLEMEN,—Who raised himself into honourable
notice during his youth by industry, integrity, and perse-
verance ?—JAMES HARMER.
Who, as a solicitor, practising in the Criminal
Courts, made that practice equally respectable with
the other branches of the profession?—JAMES HARMER.
Who, through his perfect knowledge of, and honour-
able practice in, the Criminal Law of this country, gave
that evidence before Parliament, and for which he re•
ceived the highest compliment front Sir James Mackin-
tosh, on which the great practical reform in the
Criminal Code was based ?—JAMES HARMER.
Who was called upon, fifteen years ago, to take a
seat in the Common Council, by one of the most exten-
sive and respectable wards in the metropolis, and who
fulfilled the duties thereof, notwithstanding his very ex-
tensive professional engagements, with honour to him-
sidf, and the utmost satisfaction and benefit to the
ward ?—JAMES HARMER.
Who, on the lamented death of that long-tried and
inflexible advocate of public liberty, Alderman Waith-
, man, was selected, by the same ward to succeed so just
and useful a man as their representative in the Court of
j Aldermen ?-3AMES HARDIER.
Who has performed the various functions of his
offices, as Magistrate on the Bench, and Alderman of
the Ward, with knowledge, judgment, mercy, and jus-
tice, not to be surpassed by any man in the kingdom ?
Alderman HARMER.
Who was unanimcusly elected one of the Sheriffs of
London and Middlesex, and afterwards received the
general thanks of the Corporation, couched in the
highest complimentary language, for the manner in
which he had performed the high and important duties
of that office ?—Alderman HARDIER, Sheriff.
Who, through life, has never turned a deaf ear to the
solicitations of the widow, the orphan, or the distressed ?
—Alderman HARMER.
Who, more extensively than any other one man in the
City of London, aids, by his pecuniary support, the
public charities of the metropolis, and all other useful
institutiens ?—Alderman HARMER.
Who is the man to fill the Civic Chair, who, from his
temperance, integrity, knowledge, liberality, and wealth,
the advocate of civil and religious liberty, a true prac-
tical Christian, full of beneficence and good will towards
all mankind ?—Alderman HARMER.
I am, Gentlemen,
A MEMBER OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH,
Who has for upwards of twenty years had the fullest
opportunity of scrutinizing both the private and
public character of Alderman HARMER..

MR. ALDERMAN HARMER.

(From the Morning Advertiser.)
The declaration of the Livery (?) against Alderman
Harmer turns out to be a failure. 'The Livery will not
join in a course of conduct which they believe to be un-
called for and dishonest. They will not run down a
City Magistrate, well known to them for very many
years, because one of the proprietors of the Times hap-
pens to be personally opposed to him. All the artifices,
all the influences, all that the •` unanimous" Tory Press
could do, is unavailing. The number of signatures last
night was just 468—the number of Liverymen being
about 9,000. The Times, with a discretion which it
rarely loses sight of, is anxious to repudiate this " de-
claration." It is always desirous of " pursuing the
triumph" when there is one, but when there is not, it
does not like to " partake the gale." Be it so. It must
settle its share in the concoction of this unsuccessful
scheme with those who have been its dupes, or its in-
struments.
We hope this flagrant failure will be a warning to
the Times not to imagine itself everything, and all the
rest of the world nothing. It presumed to say that
the press was unanimous against Alderman Harmer—
the Standard slavishly followed in a similar state-
ment. Both knew that this was false. Both knew
that the Advertiser and The Sun bad, in several articles,
taken the opposite view. Neither are obscure papers.
The Sun is at the head of the evening press, according
to the stamp returns, and the Advertiser, the Times
well knows, is read by hundreds where it is only read
by tens—not that its stamp return is equal, but that
it is taken by the publicans, and lent out by them to
their customers to an extent of circulation that the
Times could never equal. What is to be gained by
this palpable and notorious lying
• Nevertheless, the Times and the Standard may in
their arguments be right, and the Advertiser and Tlic
Sun wrong. Let us see. We have already dealt with
the religious part' of the question, and endeavoured to
show that the attempt to establish a Holy Inquisition
as to the religious opinions of the proprietors of news-
papers, is neither wise nor just. Alderman Harmer,
as a private individual, is a Christian, and a friend, in
practice as well as profession, to the Church of England,
The Times seeks, from occasional paragraphs in a news-
paper in whiah he has a share, to show that he is not
Would the Times like its own religion to be tested by
the practice of its different proprietors? Does not the
Times know that the proprietors of one of the morning
papers (the most strenuous against Catholic emancipa-
tion and Jewish emancipation) were ono a Catholic and
another a Jew? Does not the Times know that the
proprietor of another paper, enjoying the patronage of
the clergy to a very great extent, was a Deist, and
" something more"? Would it wish us to descend into
":partietil,isi.T?,
~ a, ~ ; . - , ,.„ . ,
;Orete' z'liiy:;bliiii.lit that,. such are the facts., We do
newspaper is a mercantile property. Any man
may bUy it. , Should any,aocident -happen. tom pro-
prietor of the Times, his or her share may-bc;sold by,
pUblic 'auction. A Jew may buy it, or a Republican,
or an iefidel. Possibly a deed may exist, giving the
right of the control of that paper to certain persons
who had materially contributed to its great success
and value. The person who invests his property may
have nothing to do with that control. He may not
have the power which it is said the proprietors of the
Times had in the case of Queen Caroline, of meeting
together, and by a majority of one deciding that it was
better for the mercantile interests of the Times that the
Queen should be supported than that Journal should re-
main neutral. The value of a newspaper is much affected
by its consistency. The Times itself may have found
that out. The only difference between the ownership
of the Times and the Dispatch may be that all the pro-
prietors of the former may meet to determine when it
shall be Tory and when it shall be Radical, while the
sole control of the latter may be in the hands of its
original proprietor, whose management of it was first
found to be dangerous to public morals, when it op-
posed the election of Mr. Walter for the borough of
Southwark.
We do not blush that newspaper property should be,
like all other property, a matter of pounds, shillings,
and pence, but we do blush at the rank hypocrisy that
would seek to make it otherwise. The Times and the
Standard are excessively loyal just now because the
Dispatch has had one or two paragraphs reflecting on
the marriage of the Queen and Prince Albert. Those
paragraphs are perhaps fitted for the lower classes, who
are content in seeing them uttered, but whose pent-up
discontents might not have been so innocuous after the
strong exciting articles on the New Poor-law wiiie!:
they may have seen in the Times and Standard. But
is the Times the organ to preach up loyalty to Queen
Victoria ? Is the Times the knight-errant to whom wo
would entrust devotion to her or her husband ? Bah !
the hypocrisy is foul and rank. The Times of 1840
has laboured too long and too earnestly to place Queen
Adelaide before Queen Victoria, and to praise some-
what more the King of Hanover than it used to praise
the Duke of Cumberland. Who, in their excessive
" loyalty," held up that very Queen Adelaide to public
hatred, by exclaiming, in their grand leader when the
Reform Bill was temporarily lost, " The Queen has
done it all?"
Let us get rid of humbug on all sides. Is Alderman
Harmer a good Magistrate, or is ho not? When he
sits at Guildhall or the Mansion-house, is his conduct
such as other Aldermen would pursue, whether Whig.
or Tory ? Has the accidental circumstance of his hav:.
ing a property in the Dispatch influenced his decisions
in any way whatever? What grounds are there for
imagining that he would be a worse Lord Mayor than
be has been a Sheriff, an Alderman, or a Magistrate ?
Answer these questions, editors of the Times and the
Standard.

PRESENT STATE AND PROS-
PECTS OF THE JEWS.

(From Praser's Magazine.)
The present physical, moral, and social condition of
the Jews must he a miracle. We can come to no
other conclusion. Had they continued from the com-
mencement of the Christian era downward to the pre-
seat hour in some such national state as that in which
we find the Chinese, walled off from the rest of the
human family, and by their selfishness on a national
scale, and their repulsion of alien elements, resisting
every assault from without in the shape of hostile
invasion, and from an overpowering national pride
forbidding the introduction of new and foreign cus-
toms, we should not see so much mystery inter-
woven with their existence. But this is not their
state ; far from it. They are neither an united and
independent nation, nor a parisitic province. They
arc peeled and scattered, and crumbled into fragments,
but, like broken globules of quicksilver, instinct with
a cohesive power, ever claiming affinity, and ever
ready to amalgamate. Geography, arms, genius, po-
litics, and foreign help, do not explain their existence ;
time, and climate, and customs, equally fail to ofrav
it. None of these are, or can be, the springs their
perpetuity. They have been spread over every pro-
vince of the habitable globe ; they have lived under the
a regime of every dynasty ; they have shared the and wtt-
a rotf-
tion o 4 just laws, the proscription of cruel ones,
n used
nsed the rise and progress of both ; they hve
o
every tongue, and have lived in every latitude? The
snows of Lapland have chilled, and the suns of A..frica
have scorched them. They have drunk of the li ber,
the Thames, the Jordan, the Blisiusippi. In .every
century, and in every degree of latitude and longttude,
we find a Jew. It is not so with any other race: Em.
and burled the
pires the most illustrious have fallen,