The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-04 00:00:00

acknowledges that he has grievously offended the
laws established for the government of the army,
and he believes i., the perfect uprightness of pur-
pose in his judges. He is thoroughly persuaded
that the Court acted conscientiously, and meant
nothing but rigid and conscientious justice. He
does not subscribe to the sweeping doctrine that no
degree of provocation can ever justify a subordi-
nate in breaking from the strict line of respectful
submission. He does not admit that the verdict
was a right one, but he seems to limit its error
solely to degree. He thinks it too severe, but he
proclaims over and over again that the Court was
upright and conscientious. He kisses the rod
which smites him. He is full of love for the,
army ; lie is still devoted to the noble profession
and therefore he respectfully prays that the pUhlic
will not interfere in his behalf.
Mr. REYNOLDS thinks he has a better
chance to be restored, if his case be
left to the
genuine, uninfluenced consideration of his Royal
Mistress, than by the public interference. Ile
prefers the smiles of the Court to the heartfelt ar:
probation of millions of his fellow-creatures.
hopes that her Gracious MAJESTY may yet deet:ll
his hand worthy to bear again the sword which "de.
has long carried in defence of his Queen an
country. In that hope, he repudiates the aid and
almost the sympathy of the public.
The Times calls his letter a noble one--Pe
rhaPs
it is for a soldier ; but it has strengthened our oni:
victioa immeasurably, that the very principles he
which the Army is governed need reform. 't
public with one voice have stigmatized the 01°.
proceedings as fraught with injustice. They °for
demn, first, the order of Lord CARDIGAN
Mr. REYNOLDS not to address private letters
him ; secondly, the mode in which the • CI,
martial was constituted, chiefly of superinf
cers ; thirdly, the limitation of the invei
gation into the second letter exclusiveivi:,
fourthly, the refusal to hear evidence that te
REYNOLDS was incapable of being insubordint;
unless improperly provoked ; fifthly, the Sege the
of the sentence ; and, lastly, the branding
holding
witnesses for an expression of opinion, and
them up to the displeasure of the Horse Gna
But Mr. REYNOLDS, deeply imbued with the an
he
tary spirit, holds all these separate iniquities Inhich
just, and submissively submits to the power w the
has inflicted them—the Horse Guards for the
name of her MAJESTY is a mer 3 cover---in
bleu
hope that it may condescend, if he be very hnittinti
to restore him to the service. We believe 1 to
Mr. REYNOLDS' conduct is according in,
the most approved military rule, but it iris
dicates, in our apprehension, a subdued aPi*e,
in our officers, a want of discrimination
tlion
twixt right and wrong, and a thorough substitu the
of the laws of an arbitrary military code, f,a,her
laws of morality, which make it doubtful vine" of
they are worthy to be trusted with the defencetho
freemen. Who shall assure the communitY t
those who so readjly submit to injustice will 11,0
readily inflict it ; or the they will not as vvillingyo,
the tools of a tyrant as tbe defenders of freed°led
The public see with horror that they ere compel
le
pay and honour men trained to be slaves.
Otl:en
We cannot separate this case ftP" the
which have occurred in the 11th Hussar.:'•
c CAR'
officers have been removed since the Earl 0.
_fore
DIGAN joined the regiment. It is now theo•
0101'
emphatically named the Earl of CARDIGAN
Lod'
Are the public to pay for a regiment which e
HILL has pronounced to be inefficient, because
belongs to Lord CARDIGAN ? Then there of.
the other Captain REYNOLDS, who was guilty o
no military offence, but drank Moselle wine °u
tO,
a black bottle ; he was reprimanded in a 11105 t
gentlemanly manner ; he vented some indignati'
on the bearer of the ungentlemanly message;
was verbally reported, that is, calumniated, at tic
Horse Guards, placed under arrest, refused:.
Court-martial, and denied all redress. CaPts.°
0
REYNOLDS, like Mr. REYNOLDS, sub
this, and is still a Captain in the Eleventh, Yes gi;
we are afraid, to draw his sword on Por
own people, or on an enemy, at the c° et
mand of Lord CARDIGAN, though the o.ll°oo
might be provoked into some temporary ebolblitic •
of feeling at his extravagant and ariswelhe
conduct, and the partiality shown to him bYdf4
Horse Guards. Taking these things with :-.0-
REYNOLDS' " noble" letter, we are Coto°
nf
that the situation of the subaltern officers
as --
they
army is unworthy of free men, and as longS t w
are kept in such degradation, the army 0100'
either, as chance may direct, the defence of freed

or instrument of tyranny.
Mr. REYNOLDS, however, refuses the .Isoo'
sympathy and the public subscriptions. 14!°
looks to the Horse Guards for rrotection, as,:010
case of Mr. BRENT, he received it through h' bees.
Commander. Bu: the public feeling has sub"
roused, and the public money has been 5 is
scribed. Both, so far as Mr. REYN°LWh3t
concerned, are now without an object. be
is to be done ? Shall the 111°ei We 1
returned ? Shall the feeling be wasted' the
think not. It is plain that the government °,/e1
Army much needs reform. What is w Prcliss,
those who have taken an active part in the btislitool
and who have already subscribed their money' pro'
constituting themselves into a Committee top'
e,'
cure the reform of the Army ? In spite °f the
heads of that army flogging has been much 11/11-tieo
if not extinguished. To effect its total exti°l°
might be one object. The Army is goeerner'r itS•
the will of the Sovereign ; to frame just laws '°;",ht
government, by the authority of Parliament, lit'sl
be another object. At present promotion g, hest
purchase, merit remains unnoticed, and the bigefit
posts are very often filled by persons uttell,.l of
G
for their duties. " I know not," said the Pft-sis,
CHATHAM "
-, on looking at a list of our ene:hat
when he wanted one fur some command, Dot
effect these gentlemen may have on the enentPi
they make me tremble." To requite the Lefsritf •
lure to establish promotion as the reward of Ine"
so procure talent at the head of the , thes
and so make it the servant of the public, 11°E;ieet
instrument of the aristocracy, is another ,:$ll
to
which such a Committee might have in viw. On
these points, or on the subordinate one .
remove
these 01P
Lord HILL trotn the government of the ar•
the Committee might prepare petitions, 30 "
ganise that public feeling which has been rt1u50,36.
till some good be achieved. Now that ejtiferinyt
stances have directed public attention to the in
and thrown much light on the mode of g°verndh
it, the opportunity of effecting improvement nti°
not to be wantonly thrown away.

Not two months hav4zie'yet elapsed since `le ie.
signated Lord ELIOT as lending himself to a de-
signated
lusion, by taking a prominent part in the .0146,,,
Eki:EoLwDledpareodmp
Zealand Cornmitt.ee. At a meeting of the vie
~
ted. justice
Zealand Company at Plymouth, on Friday, be ac-
mitring bwog'
0 that he had only acted as Mr. , ~d
the of our accusation, b ad"
ic01",
. 0 Oro iit
At the former period we endeavotirecr t .
_ii; ;
wt that
weekly
the r
that the whole of the proceedings of the Commit'
and
01)
were directed against Lord JOHN R.OSSELLt. an. ,
tbel!,-, 1
gNaenws, Zealandboasted
-ofCaangPreala'r vi-tchtroarYug(i'v'e",..ol, „.
Noble Lord. They were then making war on,,ft!iii;ol: '.:2
but at the meeting on Friday the health .of I.lry'
Colonial Minister was proposed 'by Lord Al'