The Sun.
London, England, 1824-05-27 00:00:00

[BRITISH PRESS.]

A number of unhappy Spaniards have sought
refuge, within the last week or two, in this
country, destitute, in fact, of every thing. They
have fled to these shores, to escape the bands of
assassins that awaited them on passing the Py-
renees ; they were wretched prisoners in France
for months, and there every possible privation
and insult was dealt thorn ; but in France they
would not be suffered to remain, unless they
could point out some certain means of support—
to Spain they dared not return, but at the
risk of being entombed in horrid dungeons,
or butchered in cold blood by a fanatic po-
pulace. In that unhappy country all the agent's
of 'evil have been unloosed ; it is now a scene of
anarchy and blood from end to end ; Tyranny and
Fanaticism, in their most odious, forms,-every
-where present themselves—Freedom and Know-
ledge are equally proscribed. Though the In-
quisition is not revived in all its past horrors, it
actually exists in its worst spirit. The ancient
ordinances. of this dark tribunal against mental
improvement of every sort have been renewed,
and confided to the enemies of all knowledge—.
the Spanish monks and clergy. No recorded
amnesty has issued as yet from Ferdinand or his
Ministers. The concession, however :blotted by
exceptions, exists only in name ; there is still no
security for the humblest follower of the Con-
stitution. The rabble are in arms in every
great town, incited by the Monks and the Ser.
viles : they are in ceaseless agitation, and con-
tinual murders are witnessed in noon day ; these.
horrors are perpetrated under the violated names
of loyalty and religion. The French see thern:—
they followed on
.their invasion, but they take no.
effectual steps to arrest the authors, or prevent
-the cotnmissidn
.of the same appalling crimes.—
Under such dreadful cirettnistanCes, the Consti-
tutional Spaniards who were prisOners itt.France
could not pass the Pyrenees, but to bare their
throats to the assassins. Those. who returned to
Spain were flung into dungeons, or many of them
Murdered. No resource therefore remained to
in France but to thrOW
the surviving captives
themselves
.on 'these shores, however destitute ;
and here, accordingly, they have arrived iu hun-
dreda, And utterly unprovided. Their present
melancholy situation is one deserving the
best sympathies of this country ; they have
been ruined in the cause of liberty ; the
Constitution for which they fought might have
been too theoretic, and filled with faults, which
tune and experience would probably have cor-
rected„ bUt compared with the code that now
curses 'Spain; it was a system of perfection. The
benevolence of this country, which never yet
shut its hand against its just
peal, has already
supplied some thousands for the support of the
Spnisk exiles, but that slender. fund has, we be-.

neve, been exhausted, and Ministers, highly to
their credit, have supplied theirloss, and stepped
forward to the aid of the hapless refugees. 4utif
the inhscriptian-3vitich existed a. month or two
since could lie renewed, many of these
duals now anxious to
.quit England for South
America, might there find, compatriots and a
home—and contribute with
.their swords td the
defence and independence of the New World.--
To Spain they cannot turn while the present
dreadful system continues—a_system only sup-
ported by the presence of French troops within
that country, who are the body guard of ihe ty-
rant, and which must crumble into dust within a
week after the last French battalion ,re-crosses
the Pyrenees. • - - •

[MORNING POST.] •
Mr. Brownlow's Motion respecting " they Ca-
tholic Association," is one of which we long ago
perceived the necessity, and now applaud both
the motive and the wisdom. Did this self-elect-
ed Body really represent such of the Catholics of
Ireland as possess either property or respectabi-
lity, it might be well to know exactly what the
feelings and opinions were of so large a portion
of the Irish public. The fact however is, that
the " Catholic Association," while it repre-
sents no part of the people of Ireland, is
generally presumed here to be the correct organ
of the whole Catholic population, and ac-
' cordingly the sins of a contemptible factious
junta are laid at the door. of millions, who,
except in a general religious designation, have
(we at least hope and trust) nothing with them
in common. It would therefore, if not an act of
justice, be an act of friendship to the Irish Ca-
tholics
themselves to put down the. Capel-street
Parliament. But there are still higher and more
essential reasons for terminating its labours. We
con fess,that werel rebind otherwise circumstanced,
the burlesque proceedings of this Association would
supply an effectual antidote. to the poison with
which they are impregnated. In any part of Great
Britain, as we some time, back observed, they
would be innocuous; but in Ireland their pur-
pose and their effect is to mislead and ultimately
sacrifice a mass of wretched, ignorant, supersti-
tious, sufferhig population, who, under better
guidance, would become peaceable and loyal
subjects. We are not disposed to make rash as-
sertions or cry " wolf!" at every mouse—but
with equal confidence and discretion, we think,
we do not hesitate to say that insurrection and
rebellion are the objects of the Catholic
Association. In this accusation too we do not
hesitate to include some of the Pastoral Letters
which have lately appeared. Now, in arguing this
question, we will take the broadest ground which
even the " Chamber" in Capel-street, and the
Bishop of Kildare could desire. - They doubtless
iwagine, notwithstanding the strennous,and in-
cessant exertions of the Government and People
of England to ameliorate the condition of the
Irish people, and in all other respects- to serve
and raise that country, that insurrection is justifi-
able, or, in other words, practicahte at the pre.
sent, or some not far distant moment. We meet--1
them thus on a footing, which, though they dare.
not avow, it is evident they take and would con-
tend on. Our purpose is not to delude a multitude,
but to expose the delusion which is attempted„to_
be practised on them.; nor. with this view shall.
we scruple to state for the 44 A-910600h " and
Dr. Doyle, the real designs they entertain., ,and
the foundation on which they build their super.
structure of sedition. In the first place, they
reckon a little on the hostile rivalry of the con-
tinent of Europe to this country, and infer, be.
cause a few bigots among the Ultras of France
and the Absolutes of Spain have called Ireland
the vulnerable part of the British Empire, that
nothing more is necessary than to rebel and suc-
ceed. At the Palace of Kilcock this no donbt is
conclusive. Will the Catholic Association, how-
ever,, have the goodness to say whether, in the
first place, there is any rational cause for sup-
posing that' war between England
and any part
of the Continent is not probable, but possi-
ble;- under the existing, circerpstances,of Europe.
We' assure them it is not.. We..heg to inform
_those sages that the interest of the Continental
Governments compels them to. niaintain,peact
with Great Britain, much more than
,the interest
Of this country prescribes a Similar, course. Let'
not the " Chamber" or his Iteverence.of Kilcock
deceive themselves or the poor misguided pea,
sentry of Ireland with such shallow speculations.
Europe is at the mercy of England, and 'what-
ever jealousy, or hatred, or inclination of certain
Powers, they thirst not enter the listi with Great
Britain, tier so much as intrigue against her, par-
ticularly on her own soil.

[NEW TIMES.]
The Resolutions submitted by the. Earl. of
Lauderdale suggest one mode of protection to
the Public against speculative Associations. If
it be necessary to deposit a large part of the in-
tended stock, fewer persons _will- be inclined to,
take shares in any new undertaking which_ they
have not fully considered and approved. His
Majesty's. Ministers stand on grounds peculiarly
delicate in_ every
.qUestion of this nature.. The.
Pahlic expeCts . of them to promote the most
liberal system of commercial policy that, is con-,
sistent with the security of property ; and they
have sufficiently evinced their. wish to satisfy that
expectation. But it must be remembered that
there are two mode's of promoting trade and in-
dustri; namely, that which depends on the efforts
of associated bodies, and that which rests on indi-
vidual enter Prise.
_Both are desirable under differ-
ent' circumstances ; but the principal object of a
wise:Statesman is to. afford the utmost possible
scope' to the develOpetnent of individual industry.
We have- several times alluded to the pending
.question het‘ieen the individual Underwriters of
Lloyd's' and the great companies which threaten
to
,swatio„„7 up that. useful establishment. Adam
Smith delkvers an Opinion,lhat Insurance, whether
from the risks Of the sea, of life, or of tlre, is
fitted to be carried 'on by a joint 'stock company.
c‘ withotit e,seluSive Privilege." We shall
not stop to inquire how far that opinion justifies
insurance
wriaientclelr, by"e('-'llll:i4nlo)Vith exclusive privileges,.
o
0'6.1\14110e Insurance Company pro-
e'
jected in 1810 was of that ch!irit.Fte; but we may
observe that since. AslamuS ;
-1,-4 ,time the system

of Marine Insurance has received much greater
perfection ; and that, practically speaking, it is
now carried on with more benefit to all parties
concerned than was ever known in the history of
commerce. It has been said that-aldifficulty is
sometimes found in extending insurances at
Lloyd's so far as may be wished. Objections of
this nature will not bear examination. Nobody
can doubt but that it is an object of national in-
terest to keep up Lloyd's Coffee-house ; the only
question is, Whether the admission of numerous
and powerful Associations to compete with the
Underwriters there will overpower' the latter.—.
-And we own we think that the event is to be ap-
prehended ; because we see that among these asso-
ciations almost all the mercantile interest is di7
vided. Every merchant must naturally wishto effect
his insurances with the Company whose profits
.he shares ; and these Companies will willingly
enough take all but the most hazardous risks.
Ir seems demonstrable, therefore, that mine but
the most hazardous risks will be left to Lloyd's.
It is equally clear that in such a case Lloyd's
will be deserted by the most responsible Under-
writers : so that the eventual result will be, that
the hazardous risks (which in fact are the chief
object of insurance) will have the less security
the more the market is occupied by powerful
Companies.