The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-09 00:00:00

attained an alarming height. Everything proposed
was passed, and many persons who had no possible
claim were placed upon the list. Private individuals,
who would gladly have provided their fair proportion
of employment, and directed the labour thus appli-
cable to works of a useful and reproductive cha-
racter, found they were wholly unable to stem the
torrent, and also that they would still have to pay their
quota of the general fund as fully as those who
made no effort on their own behalf ; consequently
there was scarcely any exertion made. Even the
labourers who, in ordinary seasons, would have been
retained were discharged by their employers, and
sent to the public works as the sole means by which
they could obtain a livelihood. Under this state of
affairs it will not appear surprising that the number
of persons engaged on those works at one period
amounted to no less than 734,000, or that, although
this number was gradually reduced by the judicious
course adopted by the Executive, the expenditure
thereon should have amounted to the enormous sum
of 5,C 00,000/. in round terms.
The Government had most judiciously given a
pledge, towards the close of the last autumn, that
they would not interfere with private enterprise in
the supply of food. Had they declined to do so the
consequences would have been truly disastrous.
They, however, without any violation of their
promise, and without even the slightest com-
plaint being urged against them by private
traders, established depots in certain districts,
and they defrayed the freight and charges
of the importation of such articles of food as were
presented to the starving people; this expenditure and
the loss on the provision depots amounted to nearly
250,000/., while 390,0001. was applied through the
medium of the relief committees, prior to the esta-
blishment of the soup kitchens. The cost of this latter
mode of relief, which was estimated at three mil-
lions of pounds, will not exceed 2,200,0001. There
were also the different advances by way of loan for
works of utility, such as the 620,0001. to certain rail-
roads, the money to be advanced for the improvement
of land, and the grants for piers, and fisheries, &c.,
showing altogether the above-mentioned outlay of
9,360,0001., of which 4,380,0001. is absolutely be-
stowed, and the residue is to be repaid by easy instal-
ments. Surely this simple explanation will convince
the Irish people how fully they may depend on a
Government that has hitherto acted with such paternal
care, and induce them to abstain from any acts or de.
monstrations by which the power or stability of that
Government may in any manner be deteriorated.

There are certain gentlemen who enjoy a perfect
freedom of action, and are privileged to perform the
most extravagant antics with impunity. No one is
shocked if they are jocose at funerals, and grave
at christenings, and though their number happily
is not legion, yet somehow or other the circle
seems to have gone on increasing of late. Here
now is a new candidate for the honours
hitherto reserved for the favoured few, with
whose doings our facetious friend Punch makes so-
ciety familiar, in the person of Mr. Alderman JOHN-
SON. The worthy Alderman, than whom, in private
life, there is not, we believe, a more amiable person,
is about to essay the ta.k of undoing the Reform Bill,
which he terms a "diabolical" affair, " one of the
worst Bills that ever passed." There is a certain
charm in audacity which wins its way to the heart,
and the notion that such an enterprise is about to be
attempted by an ex-Lord Mayor, is calculated to
have great effect upon the electoral mind. In-
stead of JOHNSON being swallowed by PEEL,
we shall see the late head of the Conser-
vatives absorbed by the monster capacity of
this legislative Magog. Ile will from this time for-
ward think with Mr. JOHNSON'S brains and vote with
Mr. JOHNSON'S tongue.
It is not fashionable in these days to be consistent,
and the respectable Alderman has learned the value
of the maxim which recommends that the conversa-
tion should be suited to the company. It seems that

in spite of an anxious wish to speak out plainly, he
is exposed to doubt and misconstruction as to the
real character of his politics, but that need not be a
subject of serious complaint. It is a matter of almost
equal indifference to the electors of London whether
his "honesty" at Bride-lane is greater than the amount
of his " sincerity" at the meetings of the Conservative
Association ; or if his "candour" at the Farringdon, is
better than either, since the result will be just the
same. He has only to please himself, and may rest
assured that his responsibility will end there, the
citizens of London having made up their minds not
to trouble him with the task of watching over their
interests in the ensuing Parliament.

A letter from Breslau of June 29 says—
•' Prince Germain de Hatzfeld, against whom a sen-
tence of excommunication has been issued by the Arch-
bishop of Breslau, and whose two majorats have been
*vized, because the 'conditions on which they are held
required that they could only be possessed by members
of the family of Hatzfeld, belonging to the Catholic re-
ligion, not being able to get the anathema removed,
hss manifested his formal intention of embracing Ger-
man Catholicism, and has consulted the lawyers of the
Breslau bar on the question, whether in case he adopted
that mode of religious worship he should be regarded as
not belonging to the Catholic religion, and should lose
the possession of the majorats. The Breslau bar have
declared unanimously that inasmuch as the German
Catholic worship is true Catholicism, reduced to its pri-
mitive simplicity, Prince de Hatzfeld, in embracing that
worship, would be a true Catholic, and in consequence
could not be deprived of the said majorats."

We learn from Vienna, 29th ult., that the Imperial
decree prohibiting the exportation of corn has not
had the effect of bringing down the prices in Austria.
The EMPEROR has addressed a letter to the Minister
of the. Interior requiring explanations on this subject.

Madrid papers of the 24 instant have arrived.
The act of accusation against Senor ANGEL LA
RIVA, accused of firing at the QUEEN, appears in these
papers.

The Herald() states that there are hopes entertained
of a reconciliation between her MAJESTY and the
KING CONSORT. Another reconciliation has taken
place, which is of ill omen for the future prosperity
of Spain. CHRISTINA and NARVAEZ are reconciled.
The fact that a " cordial understanding" subsists
between these notorious evil-doers is pompously an-
nounced by the Faro, the Union, and the Esperanza.
Several of the Bishops appointed since the death of
FERDINAND have resigned. The QUEEN'S troops
have dispersed the Carlist band of the Estudiente near
Burgos. An officer and one man were killed, five
were taken prisoners, and the remainder were dis•
persed.
The Three per Cents. were done at 28i for cash; the
Four per Cents. at 17-41-; the Five per Cents. at 17k;
the Debt without Interest at and the Coupons at 13.

We have received the Paris papers of Wednesday.
The Minister of Finance, towards the close of the
sitting of the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday,
brought in a Bill to authorise the Government to
contract a loan for 300 millions of francs.

M. PALLEPRAT, one of the accused in the Cubieres
affair, has escaped from France, having first of all
written to the Chancellor, announcing his intention
of not appearing before the Chamber of Peers. The
escape of M. PALLEPRAT was the subject of an
animated conversation in the Chamber of De-
puties on Tuesday, in the course of which
the Marquis DE MORNAY taxed the Govern-
ment with having connived at the escape, in
order to screen a rich man from justice. M. HEBERT,
the Minister of Justice, who was present, did not
attempt to gainsay this accusation as against the Go-
vernment. He contented himself with saying that,
as far as he was personally concerned, it was not
through any fault of his that M. PALLEPRAT had
escaped. It is expected that the co-accused of M.
PALLEPRAT will be acquitted.
46 Two unexpected incidents," says the Union Mo-
fiit 6' will impart a new turn to the proceedings in
the igue
trialpiending before the Court
M. Palleprat, one of the
of Peers. The first
is h
four accused ; and the second is, the formal declaration
litree sudden disappearance of
of General Cubieres that he never gave money, nor even,
made offers of money, to M. Teste. The General, how-
ever, admitted that he had at one moment entertained
an idea of attempting to corrupt the former Minister of
W h
Public
`Yorks, but that he soon regretted having enter-
tained such a thought—one which was suggested to him
by Nt• Palleprat. We mention those reports without
vouching for their accuracy ; for we have been assured
that M. Palleprat has written to the Chancellor that he
would not present himself before the Court, and had
thought proper to seek refuge in a foreign country."
The Presse of Wednesday was seized for repub-
lishing an article from the Democratic Pacijique, for
the publication of which that paper had previously
been seized. It is said tbat the Ministry intend
applying to the Chamber of Deputies to authorise the