The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-23 00:00:00

S TAT N 9 MARCH 23, 1847.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM TILE MORNING PAPERS OF TzsTnitnay.
TIMES.—The law of nations has not hitherto in-
eluded any comprehensive chapter upon bankruptcy and
insolvency. Though the great community of Christen-
dom has most justly been considered by publicists as one
large commonwealth, in the system of which nations
played the parts of families or individuals in separate
states, yet it was conceived that their relations would nut
descend to transactions of swindling and embezzlement,
and that a general congress might part without settling
a small debts act, or establishing an insolvent court for
states. We fear, however, that the particular attention
which this particular department of law is found to re-
quire in our own country is now still more imperatively
demanded in the code which regulates the intercourse of
states and kingdoms. When monarchies conceal their
property, and republics obtain money under false pre-
tences, it is time that some commissioner should act for
Europe as Mr. Fane acts for Middlesex; and that Spain,
as soon as such machinery can be brought into opera-
tion, will be suspended from her certificate for two
years without protection is unhappily as clear as that
she once filled the most respectable place in that
great society which she now so terribly scandalizes.
The case of Spain, which Lord G. Bentinck is to
bring before the House of Commons to-morrow, is,
indeed, one of those which the gentlemen we speak of
ere accustomed to characterise as "the very worst in-
stance of misconduct and dishonesty lately brought,
under their knowledge." At a time when the very exis-
tence of her constitutional freedom was a stake she bor
rowed large sums of money to aid her in the struggle
she was manfully conducting. The money was liberally
advanced to her, on the security of the country, pledged
by the very Government which, thus aided and
strengthened, was placed in a position to perform its
promises. Had King Carlos V. repudiated the engaee-
manta contracted by Isabella 11., some reason might be
alleged for his conduct, but none for that of the claimant
who succeeded in the venture for which the money was
borrowed. Yet, within three years of Isabella's acces-
si.m, payment of the dividends ceased. The subsequent
conduct of the indebted state it would be hard to
match by any example from Portugal-street. Four
years after the first defalcatio I!, viz in November,
1840, the Spanish Government at length yield to
the i.nportunste entreaties of its helpless coeditors,
and, without going to the lengtia of actually paying
the intereA due on the bonds, did condescend to ca-
pital:ze the arrears, and consider them as chargeable
with interest ther-after. This, hower-r, is all that liss
been dune, for the division ..f the sock into " Active',"
" llefe:red," &c., has effected nothing b. yeed the
variety of nomenclature, and the prceeet, state of tae
account, in round-reckoning, is this owes the
bondholders 45,000,000/. of capital stock entitled " Ac-
tive ;" 13.000,0001. of capital Ste ck entitled " Passive ;"
7,000,0001. of the arrears of interest added to the prin-
cipal in 1840. and 12,000,0001 arrears of interest now clue
in cash, mak near 80,000,000/. of morry. principally
Bri.ish, on account of which sums she neither pays, nor
has paid for these twelve years, a sixpence of iaterest
he) and a miserable 3 per cent. on the lust capitalized
sum of 7.009,000/. Conceive a man's figure nefore Mr.
Fonb`anque, who should pl,:•ad. that though be had
borroAeri 10,000/ on which he paid no inteiest, yet that
he had very handsomely capitaiiz d one year's arrears,
for which be was religiously paving 15/ per annum.
the case is really infamous. Every single particular
that comes to light concerning it a::gravates the
deformity of its features. Ihe indebted party is
under no disabling difficulties. Partly by the aid of
these very loans, and partly by the resources of a
kingdom so naturally exuberant and elastic that the
grossest misgovernment cannot check them. the pros-
perity of Spain has increased as rapidly es under the
Administration of Aiberotti. Its revenue, which, when
these loans were tintr4cted, was under 6,000,0001, and
when- the first arrears were cspitaFzed was under
10.000,0001., is now pabltcly stated to exceed 12,000,000/.
It is a most extraordinary proof of what national as
well as huthan cons' itutions will occasionally do for
themselves ; but it is n'-vertheless a tact, that Spain has
actually, at this moment, a surplus rt venue of near half
a million, while France has a large deficit, and England
may, perhaps, just bring both ends together. Nor is it
denied that by the commonest use of saga city—by the
mere recognition of principles which are now poli-
tical axioms, this surplus might be multiplied
twentyfold ; insomuch that it was admitted by one
of her Ministers nearly ten years ago, that "the re-
sources of Spain were more than sufficient to pay her
debts ten times over." Indeed, though she has

not applied her acquisitions to the aequ. ittal of her
obligations, she has availed herself of her noto-
rious competence to obtain further credit, and has lately
borrowed such money as she wanted on easy terms from
her own subjects, which domestic liability she very
punctually attends to. The creditors' case is as strong
as the debtor's is weal/Nagy have not been " trouble-
some." They lent their money in an hopr of need, and
only ask for it in a day of wealth. They do not exact
the letter of their bonds, regardless of means or conse-
quences. They urge the capabilities of the borrower as
well as the claims of the lender, :Ad ask for a small
sharp in the prosperity which they contributed so largely
to produos, thozo moderate representations Spain
replies by the very conduct of a dishonest jobber. She
amuses them by promises which she never fulfils, eludes
their claims and ignores their petitions, while she
indulges herself in the full swing of political
extravagance, going to the hills every summer
for an insurrection, and returning to the capi-
tal every winter for a revolution. Imagine a
man borrowing 100,000/ to recover an estate, winning
his cause, furnishing his house, extending his establish-
ment, marrying his daughters, contracting new loans,
and then, after 10 or 15 years' abjuration of the claims
upon him, calling his family together and announcing
that " the solemn moment was appne,tching when he
might occupy himself with the settlement of his d, btl"
Yet this is the allusion which Senor Mon accorded it,

he Cortes to the claims against him of 78;000,0001,, and

interest of many years' standing. Spain is precise!) in
those circumstances against which, in private life, the
of the law is justly provided and righteously
exerted. She will not pay till she is obliged to do so.
She has 'abundance of means, bet sh prefers employing
them in novel speculations to absorbing them in obsolete
charges. When payment is inevitable it must
be made, but evi:ry postponement is so much
gain, and may perhaps conduce to an ultimate
escape from the liability altegether. In humWe
life this class ef tiehzer is at ence served with a writ; lie
bows his head !.o the Grinan of necessity, and resist s
purse ..o the mate of the law. To such a resoeree the
Spanish bondholders sre now lookine at last, et: 4,
the international code does wit proiele very empl,:i.
cally for such popular dishonesty, yet there are both
clauses and preeedents pointing to a remedy against the
general contiegeney. An appeal is now before the Bri-
tish Parliament from these sufferers. entreating the in-
terposition of the Government either to help them, or to
authorise their helping themselves, and it would indeed
show a mi:ignanimous indifference to the source where
charity b.7gins, it; after so tleirough a discussion of na-
tional contracts, we should exempt others from the obli-
gations which we so freely assume ourselves. We pre-
sume there can be little comparison between the claims
of the Russian Emperor and the claims of the Sp:snish
bondholders, nor would there be much greater ditfieulty
in maintaining the one than in satisfying the other. There
would be no necessity fir the " reprisals" so ominously
spoken of by the indignant creditors; matters would
hardly come to a distraint upon the Philippines or a
sequestration of Cubs. The first process Would termi-
nate the business, and a single serious word from our
Cabinet would at once intimate that ;here was no more
room for trifling, and thct the money must be paid.

MERITORIOUS ACT of HUMANITY.
VALENCIA (IRELAND). MARCH 15.—Mr. Jas. Peters,
master of the brig Mercury, of Arbroath, on her way
home, perceived a vessel on fire at a considerable dis-
tance, off the coast of Portugal, and at great inconve-
nience and some delay made for her, and remained at
near her throughout the night as the state of the en
would allow. At five o'clock the next morning the crew
of the burning vessel lowered their boat, and with 'con-
siderable difficulty were got on board the Mercury.
Altkough Captain Peters was short of provisions at the
time, he generously shared everything on board with the
sufferers, eleven in number, all French, for whom he
provided accommodation on the floor of his cabin, giving
the French captain a 13:rth. The Frt nehmen speak with
the utmost gratitude of :the humanity of Capt. Peters,
but for whose active and timely exertions they would
have all perished, either by the flames, or the waves, or
by starvation, as the fire cut them off from their stores.
Baffled in his endeavours to reach Cork, by the preva-
lence of severe easterly gales, Captain Peters made the
harbour of Valencia, on the 6th inst., where he remains
unavoidably windbound. The Mercury is laden with
oil cake for Lynn, in Norfolk. The people on board
the Mercury, for some days before reaching Valencia, had
been reduced to half a glass of water each, and nearly
out of provisions. On reaching Valentia, Capt. Peters
completed his kindness by conveying the whole party of
sufferers to the protection of the French consul at Cork.
Such traits of national liberality and generosity are
highly gratifying; and we are sure the public, as well
as the owners of the Mercury, will applaud Captain
Peters for an act which refs, cts additional credit on the
character of our countrymen for deeds of humanity.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO CAPTAIN R. VYSE, M.P.—
Oa Thursday last the Baron Rothschild's hounds met at
Rowaham. The deer took a line towards Merton, and when
near Mr. Eustace's house, Mr. Vyse, in taking a fence near
the road, fell trim his horse, in consequenc., of the saddls
slipping round. His toot, unfortunately, hung in the stirrup,
by which he was dragged upwards of one hundred yards,
the horse galloping at full speed and beating the ,iifortunate
gentleman's head against the ground. At length his foot
beca me disengaged from the stirrup, and he was carried to
the house of Mr. John Eustace, from whence, after a short
period, it was deemed advisable to remove him to London by
railway. We understand be is at his house in town in a
very Alarming state.—Bucks Herald.
ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.— On Saturday, at the
Royal Free Hospital in the Gray's Inn-road, Thomas
Wakley, jun., Esq., performed a most difficult operation
upon a youngwoman, named Ann Slic.
in m, aged 20 (a ser-
vant, residing St. Bride's, Fleet-street), for a gangrened
fistula. The ether was administered in the presence of Dr.
Gardiner, Mr. John Coachenall, M.D., Mr. T. W. Cooke, Vie
r. .T, 1: T 1 a!1, Dr. Peacock. K \.r
!!,c.t.saLtua 01 ;41ta cc. L.
patient, who is now doing well in one of the wards of the
hospital.

PRICF sn.

THE FAST-DAY.

(From the Dispatch.)

Mr.-Editor,--In the "good old times when George
111. was king," and the country was always at war fur
the sake of " the throne and the altar," Fast-days came
round annually, and seemed to belong to our honoured
institution and constitution. They were occasionally
varied by Thanksgiving-days. When our soldiers
had slaughtered many of the French, we gave
thanks ; -and when the French had slaughtered many
of our scalers, we fasted. The religion and the
slaughtering always went together ; so that blood
did but flow, there was sure to be devotion, and I
suppose this was what inspired Wordsworth with the
thought that "Carnage is God's daughter." The notion
of that strange relationship is not abandoned, if we may
judge from the recent Proclamation for a Fast. As in
those days, our rulers ascribed to Deity the destruction
of the French, so do they now ascribe to him the star-
vation of the Irish. The difference is, that then we
wished Him to continue to destroy the French, and now
we wish Him to leave off destroying the Irish. Both
slaughterings are referred to Providence ; working in
one case by leaden bullets, and in the other by rotten
potatoes.
It was genc rally supposed that this sort of barbarism
was at an end. The number of those who know better
has been multiplied in the interval. A new generaticn
has sprung up; and if little has been done for its educe •
tion, there is a widely-acting Spirit of self-instruction
amongst the masses. Honest Fanaticism has been made
more modest; and mere cant has become less effective.
The proclamation for a Fast. day took the public by sur-
prise. People had thought of a hundred different things for
the relief or mitigation of Irish distress; they had thought
of opening the ports last November; of prohibiting the
exportation of food; of making large purchases abroad
with Government funds ; of a temporary subscription;
of a permanent poor law ; but they never thought of
fasting as a cure fer famine. Only a superannuated
devotee, here and there, is to be found with any faith in
its efficacy. Providence is net generally believed to be
particular abaft our eating flesh or fish. It gives no
outward and visible sign of a curse upon mutton,
or of Merit in mackeral. There is no obvious
reason why roast meat and repentance sh,uld not go
together, and be not less available than contrition upon
cod-fish. Calamity does nut spare those who feed onl)
upon sprats. That a meagre diet ccaistoutes devotion,
has come to be regarded as a superstition. The surprise,
at the doctrine of the Pr-clumatitm has sunk two a quiet

di,gus!. Ve their 4:0:44 OA awl A•ir
shoulders, awl ,A..),1 4r what It nit•aits. Soul, g -e it
a counterpoise to the recent ,icvelopuivnts ot lib.,r,t.:cy at.
Sittee Pope* have bcc,•me I'io-
test2.ltt authoritit the the supersoti,us to o,a; -7zlt
world's bahnee betwetn the ath-o;ute,nd the- rcc.:ress!vt
The talon ihgt ity Oat should ehar,,etp:
mation is not e,ineed ;11 this Ok,cotnt.lit. Its tone

to anticipate a sceptical and scornful reception. " We
do strictly charge and command," that reverent state of
mind which no human being, with whatever brie]
shadow of authority inveAted, can effectually command
in the conscience of another. The proclamation
threatens disregard with the " wrath and indigna-
tion" of " Almighty God,' Who dares thus talk
of throwin7. thunderbults? Who made the conclave a.
Osb,,rne House," the Privy Councillors of Providence?
And what further and earthly punishment is to be en-
pe2added to the divine? With a strange assumption,
after the command upon people to be fasting, reverent
and devout "as they tender the favcur of Almighty
God, and wou!d avoid his wrath and indignation," it is
" and upon pain of such punishment as may be
justly inflicted on all such as contemn and neglect,
the performance of so religious and necessary
a duty.': So then, the culprit is first to be
delivered over to the devil, and afterwards to the
Attorney-General. He is in danger, first of the penal.
ties of divine indignation, and then of the statute (where
is it.) in that case made and provided. ,This is taking
great liberties with heaven, and with human conscience.
Neither our numerous and independent sects, nor the
members of the favoured Church, are accustomed to be
thus commanded. More will he disposed to anger than
to humility; while the milliona will eat their dinners,
and go their ways, as if nothing had happened of all
this sonorous fulmination.

The Irish famine, and the comparative scarcity which
is beginning to be. felt in England, are ascribed by the
Proclamation to " the iniquities of this land," and to our
" manifold sins an4rovocations." Now, Sir, if this be
the fact, and if the Deity be really visiting the Irish with
a wise and righteous punishment for their wickedness, I
humbly suggest that Ho more public money should be
voted for relieving them, and thus counteracting the
Divine dealings. On that theory, it makes us ex past
fact.) accomplices in their guilt. God punishes, and we
He shuts them up in the dungeon of despair, and
we set open the prison doors. He starves, and we feed.
The piety of the Privy Council is a strange jumble. It
blunders somewhere. It is at fault egregiously, either.

in the pecuniary grants, or in the providential judgments.
The sins should have been particularized. What
Edmund Burke professed himself unable to do, is at-
tempted in thhia,uturriont ! draws a bill of indictment
against a nation." But the counts are not clear. The
specification is omitted. The Irish peasantry may de-
mand of the Privy Council " Whet sins ?" They
may appeal to that portion of Scripture introduced
into the service which completely nullifies the spirit
of the Proclamation. The bishops, as if in
sly rebuke—(can the Right Reverend Fathers be
so humorous?)—have put in the text which tells us
that those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell were riot
sinners above all men in all Jerusalem. The Irish may
inter that starvation is no test of sin. Job's comforters
must have ae:i-ted at Osborne House. The
peasants have lost their potatoes, and, tie:re
fine, are plundered of their character. They
must be in fault, , for they are famishing.
The foulness of their deeds is inferred from the ras.g
of fever. If t his he Christian consolation, it is very
0,2. It would he horritly heartless, if the coneecters of
the document had any teeaning in their words, Pro-
bably they thought of nothing more than the common
efeiventienalisms ef a relitrious dialect, end so e 'AA
blundering on—now vilifyit g Providence, and anon the
people.
If there be " iniquity," sio," and " provocation" in
the case, and they have caused the potato blight, the
offenders, sheulti hsrvettel out. Tte Irish ptople have ,
n>t beet, parietelfo ly wi, is d of late. They have re-
formed the is • teats as to ~Inetty, tearvelku-iy. In the
matter el. rei;ezel uffy h,4 se been wroug-hrdial, hat
hey have vt ry meriteriously kept the Qii-efi's
do not see that any peculiar and enormous sin can be
br,ught twine to their door. Nor does it appear that
the iniquities of this land, so far as they are charge-
able upon the population at large, have been unusually
heinous. At present the all-covering mantle of charity
is over them. Patience, energy, unfailing generosity,
have been evinced, to an extent that might have saved
the potato, it it rotted simply from the want of righteous-
ness. Who then are the sinners? Mr. Plumptre points
to Sir Robert Peel and the Maynooth grant; Lord G.
Bentinek intimidated the free traders; Dr. Chalmers
glances towards the railway directors that run Sunday
trait's; the juries of Irish coroners bring in a verdict of
Guilty against Lord John Russell and the Whig
Ministry. If any of these charges can be es-
tablished, let the culprits be prosecuted. But it
gives a very odd idea of Providential govern-
ment to represent such parties as punished
by the badness of potatoes. Bad they been the offen-
ders, and nature employed (according to the proclama-
tion doctrine) for punishment, the blight would rather
have fallen upon the vineyards of the Rhine and the
silk-worms of Syria. There would have been typhus
among the turtle, and a scarcity of champagne. White-
bait would be bad and venison villainous. No, they
have their faults, and grievous ones; but they have not
brought on us the necessity for fasting by any of the
offences just enumerated.
In another way, their case is not so clear. It now ap-
pears that a much larger stock of food might have been
accumulated in our warehouses, from Eastern Europe, had
the corn duty and the navigation-laws been suspended
last autumn. For that neglect, that deep sin of go-
vernmental omission, we are beginn'ng to pay dearly.
The pressure will become much heavier, before any sup-
plies can be obtained. The industrial classes, who are
(by taxation) the true feeders of the Irish, aro already
pinched themselves ; and have the prospect of severer
privations. Proclaim a fast, for them, indeed ! It is
proclaimed by the prices in Mark-lane, and ob-
served, not in churches or chapels, but at bakers'
shops. A clergyman in Spitalfields advertises for
broken victuals to distribute amongst the desti-
tute on the evening of the fast-day. Charity is in-
voked, that thousands may have a chance of breaking
the day, and a bit of bread, together. This doctrine
of fasting is an ill-timed mockery to suffering millions.
They have, per force, fasted enough already. Anti
how many operatives can ill afford to lose the day's
work, by which they forfeit the day's wages. The
piety of the rich is the penalty of the poor. Royal
and ducal revenues know no intermission. Rene
and dividends are not diminished by fast days. The
poor man is fined a sixth of his weekly income; the
rich map, not a sixpence. Thus, the facing
aid
f the Peer are paid for by the
nay
asset. A
prayers 0 .
hardship is wantonly emated, that there may be an ito-
-*in.. display ei devotion. It is too bred that the com-
monp( s,
sense of the country shwa(' endure all this, for fear
of the noisy vitup•ratious of the few who pretend to
interpret the will of Heaven, A little •more of justice
mod charity would be worth a deal of faating sod pay-
ing; and net the less eeeeptable to Dirty tor Being
float to 111 4nkilld. PUBLICA)i,A.