The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-02 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPXNXON.

The Times, alluding to the question of the relations
existing between the Porte and some of its former Chris-
ti= provinces, remarks :—" It has been pretty generally
agreed by all the Powers and the statesmen who have
applied themselves, with more or less disinterested
anxiety, to cure the disorders and to invigorate the frame
of the Turkish Empire, that repose was the condition
most essential to the recovery of its health and vigour.
But, unfortunately for the theory of those who hold that
since the signature of the collective note of July, 1839,
all Europe has acknowledged a common interest and a
common policy in Eastern affairs, the Porte has conti-
nued to be agitated, not only by internal intrigues, but
by a series of occurrences which perpetually exhibit its
own embarrassments, and to invoke the interference of
its allies. The note sent by the Turkish Government
on the 28th of October to the representatives of Eng-
land, France, and Russia, is an unequivocal symptom of
the fresh perturbation in the relations existing between
the Sultan and his former Christian provinces."—
Whether existing in a state of peace or war, the days
of Turkey, as an influential and independent Power, are,
we fear, numbered. She is a doomed kingdom, though
possibly for a few years, a variety of accidental causes
may occur to protract her fall. The old fanaticism,
which was her great strength in war, is gone ; and the
reforms, substituted in its stead, have not yet acquired
sufficient vigour and stability efficiently to supply its
place. At present, the pacific dispositions of the great
European States maintain Turkey in a state of compara-
tive integrity ; but let these dispositions be but once dis-
turbed, and the Powers be wholly taken up with their
own interests, and from that moment Turkey's fate is
sealed, and she becomes a Russian province.
The Chronicle thus alludes to Lord John Russell's
answer to the Plymouth Address, and the comments
made on it by the Tory Journals :—" The first source of
annoyance appears to be the confidence expressed in, and
accepted by, Lord John Russell, as the champion of free
trade, in opposition to the Tory monopolist confederation.
Having a Premier of their own, whom nobody trusts,
and who has been baptised " Judas" by every section of
his followers in turn, they naturally wish the antagonist
force to be in the same predicament. They know what
their own feelings would be in case of discomfiture.
The thought of defeat makes the eye of Sir Robert Peel
himself glance furtively at the picture of Actaeon.
They are startled at the closer drawing together
of the bonds of union and confidence under
circumstances of discouragement ; so they have re-
course to the theory of quackery and credulity for a
solution. Generally speaking, an expert and un-
scrupulous quack is the last person whom the more cre-
dulous class of patients will be content to distrust.' Lord
John Russell unscrupulous !' We should like to hear
of a public man who has alienated more followers by the
very fact of his unyielding scrupulosity, even while re-
taining their high 'respect for his integrity and courage."
—Were not the Tories in fear of Lord John Russell,
they would not, through their organ, attack him as they
have lately done. It is his high moral influence over a
large portion of the more reflecting classes of the com-
munity, that makes them dread every sound political
opinion that falls from his lips, as if it were fraught with
ruin to their own prospects. In a word, his Lordship is
a thorn in the side of Toryism, and long may it rankle
there 1
The Post is still disqtiietefi itt spirit about the stern
truth. tellings of the Liberal press, as is aft-lent from the
following passaje s—" Whatever may be the opinion of
Liberal ' Mennets of Parliament on either side of the
House of Commons, we adhere to the judgment which we
ha ve on Inure thalt one oecosion expressed, that good
order, and the liberty which depends upon good order,
cannot be expected to eXist in this or in any other coun-
try, whore the outrageous tillseilbtids Of theress are per-
mitted, as in this country they now are. e aft!rm that
free discussion is one thing, and the freedom to publish,
without any sort of let or hititleanee, whatever violent or
inflammatory falsehood may happen to occur to the
heated mind of a party writer, is quite another. That
the one thing is a good, and the other an evil. That the
one ought to he encouraged as an aid to intelligence and'
freedom, and that the other ought to be punished as a
gross offence against good morals, good manners, and
the peace of society."—The real meaning of all this
farrago of words is, that the Liberal partials should not
be permitted to write any thing but what is pleasing to
the Tories. They should drop no suggestions but such
as are in accordance with the beat interests of Sir R.
Peel and Co, If they act otherwise, and insist on telling
the truth, careless how that truth may offend the delicate
ears of Toryism, then they should instantly be put down
as a nuisance, and proscribed as heartless, unprincipled
fire-brands. This is good Tory logic enough ; but every
unbiassed reader's common sense will at once supply an
answer to it.

The Her dt?'tilts Cothmenis on Lord DtingarinoWs letter
respecting the Oxford Professbrship of Poetry :—" His
Lordship who is alt M:A of Oittbrd-.4tut of Christ
Church (Dr. 1411seys own college)—is exceedingly dis-
trttsed on account of the opposition to Mr. Williams'
pretensions to the chair of Poetry being founded on
grounds so irrelevpnt' (!)' as these or those special theo-
logical tenets.' Now it is because we, too, can say with his
Lordship, that we are attached to that noble University
and deeply interested in its welfare,'—that we protest
against the assumption that the grounds of objection to
Mr. Williams, for one of its professors, in a chair—the lec-
tures of which
Of an ctinil Yiklol
„ J • - 3-
owl to exercise
the tn,M ready and pettnanent influence On the minus o,
those who attend them—are irrelevant, We are not
astonished at his Lordship's declaration that he under-
stands not the object of such opposition' when he thinks
fit to dispose of all doctrinal differences, embracing opi-
nions even the mos: schismatical or heterodox, under a
general category of these or those special theological
tenets,' which ought never to disqualify for the chair of
Poetry at a Protestant University Of all the liberalism
we have yet hoard preached—that liberalism which, in
matters of religion, is distinguished by an almost imper-
ceptible gradation of characteristics from latitudinarian-
ism,—we never remember to have heard any proposition
suggested so mischievous or indefinite."
DX ONMY—TREIDE—CONIMMITME.
The Editor of the New York _Herald boasts that the
Federal Government of the United States, with the ex-
ception of a trilling loan, is the only one in tho world
out of debt, and added, by way of postscript, " Perhaps
the Chinese Government may be out-Of debt, hlit fie
don't know certainly." Brother Jonathan has the. Can-
dour, alas, to admit that though the Federal Govern-

ment is out of debt the State Governments owe the
trilling sum of two hundred million dollars(40,000,0001)

NAVAL AND IVICILITATer.

During the heavy gale on the 24th ult., the schooner
James Cook, of Limerick, bound from Sligo to Glasgow,
struck on the Galshedy Rock, and immediately went to
pieces. The master and nine of the crew were unfortu-
nately drowned, and only one man saved.
A numerous meeting of the Surgeons of the Royal
Navy, was held yesterday at the Thatched House Ta-
vern, to vote some testimonial to Sir Win. Burnett, Phy-
sician-General of the Navy, in token of the high respect
and esteem in which he is held by the medical officers of
the service. It was stated at the meeting that 9511. had
already been subscribed, and, agreeably to the wishes of
the Physician-General, it was resolved to have his por-
trait painted by Sir Martin Shee, and 'an engraving pre-
sented to each subscriber ; the residue to be expended in
purchasing a service of plate for Sir William.