The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-04 00:00:00

Otrening

LONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1847.

Although the commencement of the Parliamentary
session of 1847 will not be invested with the extra-
ordinary interest attached to the opening of its pre-
decessor, there will be no deficiency of matter in its
discussions to excite the curiosity of the population.
There are no Ministerial revelations, no party bonds to
dissever, no corn-laws to repeal, no intricacies in the
formation of a Cabinet to unravel, it is true ; but
there are, nevertheless, questions of a remarkable
character to submit to the consideration and the
discussion of the two Houses. In France the
meeting of the Chambers is anticipated with
interest principally in reference to the re-
cent jealousies which have arisen between the
majority of the European Governments. Much,
however, as we are impressed with the necessity of
bringing the differences of the Continent to some
satisfactory conclusion (if that be possible), we are
solicitous that the attention of our legislators ma 3
not be occupied by the affairs of Cracow, of Spain,
of La Plata, or of Kafirland, to the exclusion of
matters more intimately connected with the wel-
fare of the people. There is a visible anxiety in
France to regard the external misunderstandings
of the country as themes possessed of superior
claims upon the time and energies of the Chamber of
Deputies than the internal condition and financial
prosperity of France itself. Even after the distresses
which have ravaged many of the departments, chiefly
originating in a blundering system of taxation,
there is a disposition in the popular mind of France
to slur over every other topic of investigation saving
the prominent one of international alliance.
That this is a grievously-mistaken craving, no man
of moderate powers of discrimination will deny.
Not that we regard the preservation of international
friendship as a question subordinate to the consolida-
tion of our national energies, or the extension of our
national prosperity. It would be insanity to depre-
ciate a question involving not merely the continuance
of peace, but the most sacred interests of humanity
and the holiest principles of civilisation. We
are deiroug, however, of seeing our representatives
at St. Stephen's occupied more especially with
measures calculated to ensure the greater happiness,
morality, and intelligence of the community—be-
caus3 the necessities of the people will be thereby
diminished, and the delicate machinery of diplo-
macy will not be interfered with by a too rough

examination.
It is well, we will acknowledge—nay, it is abso-
lutely requisite—that a candid explanation should be
required by Parliament as to the course adopted
by the Government in regard to the French,
Spanish, Austrian, Russian and Prussian Courts. It
is advisable that there should be no hoodwinking upon
matters so intimately associated with the stability of
European peace and the interests of the British
empire. But it is by no means advisable that the
time which should be devoted to the amelioration of
the condition of Ireland, the facilitation of com
mercial enterprise and the development of our most
valuable constitutional privileges, should be engrossed
night after night by unnecessary discussions upon the
edicts of a foreign prince or the dispatches of a re-
mote ambassador.
There is so much requiring reform in the social and
intellectual condition of the multitude, that the Lords
and Commons will find ample materials for their le-
gislative capacities without usurping in any way the
duties of the Foreign-office. An explanation, there-
fore, let there be from the lips of Lord PALMERSTON,
as to the actual state of eur relations with the Conti-
nental and Peninsular Cabinets—but let that expla-
nation be of a rational brevity and conciseness. The
nation is waiting impatiently for the application of
those constitutional remedies by which their miseries
may be diminished and their hidden resources deve-
loped. Ireland is solicitous for those measures
which were promised in the recently-published
Treasury minutes relating to the reclamation
of her waste lands. A variety of fiscal enact-

ments are still required before the mercantile
wheels of the empire can revolve with perfect
freedom and celerity. The thousands who are located
in the vicinity of pestilential churchyards, long for
the advent of that time when intermural interment
will be severely punishable by the law. Millions—
yes I millions, who are crowded into our unwholesome
towns and cities, with imperfect drainage, and slug-
gish ventilation, and water impregnated with the
most poisonous impurities, pine for the introduction
of those sanatory schemes which will impart new zest to
life and materially diminish the mortality of the coun-
try. The Prodigal Sans of knowledge—and their name
is Legion—those who are wallowing in the mire of
ignorance, are now animated with a feeble hope of
emerging from their degradation. Let the Parlia-
ment concentrate all its energies upon the passage of
a good Educational Bill, a good Sewerage Bill, a
good Bill relating to burying-grounds, and similar
efforts at reform, and the sittings during 1847
will not prove altogether fruitless. It is sa-
tisfactory to reflect upon one consider& ion—
namely, that from the extraordinary measures passed
last session under the auspices of Sir ROBERT PEEL,
there will inwiitably be a very salutary emulation in
the conduct of the Administration of Lord Jour;
RUSSELL. Besides this, there will be less
opportunity in the ensuing Parliament for
the indulgence of those protracted personalities
and long-windrA vituperations, which in its predeces-
sor interfere,d- so grievously with the transaction of
public bu.:mess. The ground, indeed, is smoothed
before tle Legislature, the design is already pen-
eilleda the great structure of social reform has even
nin ow been commenced. Let not the labourers
this glorious undertaking tarry at a moment so
propitious for the completion of their plans. Let
them derive an additional and irresistible incitement
from the unanimity of the Popular Will. Let them
gfoaltlioown u
ofp
Ignorance
destructionoranee an d the
ef d Monopoly,efilteurb.elyiotfh
Disease.ubju-
rliami illustrate the
Let the representatives of the
closing days of this remarkable PaP
series of measures such as will confer Parliament with
blessings upon the people, while they will redound
to their own perpetual advantage.

With some people folly displays a prolific energy,
bordering upon the marvellous. Folly has a variety
of starting points. The love of eccentricity, or a
morbid desire for notoriety, is one of the principal