The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-28 00:00:00

notitin -:11t11/4

- LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1847.

A is tiers are decidedly approaching a crisis in the
Spa ni 3h capital. The infamous machinations
Fre cch Government must be totally and
for ever
defe a. ted, or the whole kingdom will be speedily in-
volvt wl in a moral conflagration. Queen
Isansua
has a ..eady evinced a capacity to act upon her o
wn
indej X ndent opinions, and Louis PHILIPPE must Ulti-
mate 17f experience the effects of her unexpected bold-
ness. . His schemes are bursting and vanishing like
bubl lin ; his subtle contrivances are proving, one
after :another, to be barren and void ; his diplomatic
craft . is being overruled by the simple energies of a
girl spot yet out of her teens; his elaborate cruelty is
rend cud innocuous by the decision of a Princess
heret lE)fore regarded as nothing better than a puppet.
It cannot possibly be forgotten that at the period
of tl toe double marriages at Madrid it was noto-
rious ,i.,-;hat ISABELLA IL evinced the utmost re..
pugna a -e to an alliance with her cousin, Don FRAN-
CISCO W., kSSIS. It cannot be forgotten that the con-
sent of th is unfortunate lady was only wrung from
her in an . agony of tears and supplications, when she
was cloFiet ted for a whole night with her Ministerial
advisers a nd her infamous mother. These things,
indeed, can never be forgotten, they are among the
darke' it rei -elations of modern history. They have

been written—they have been read•—they will be
remembered. Everything has latterly testified to the
accuracy of these statements concerning the royal
marriages. It is now not more certain that
the Duc DE MONTPENRER was hurried to
the Peninsular metropolis and back again,
under the protection of a military escort, than that
Queen ISABELLA abhors the man whom a flagitious
conspiracy has bound to her by the solemn vows of
matrimony. So violent, however, has this abhorrence
become that a divorce or a catastrophe are inevitable.
The knet that was fastened before the altar of Atocha
must either be untwisted or cut in twain. Her
MAJESTY has as much moral resolution as the Mace-
donian Conqueror. If she finds a difficulty in un-
ravelling the Gordian knot of the nuptial ceremony,
she will assuredly sever it by force. Virtually she
only lives at present bound to a corpse; her exist-
ence, under such circumstances, is a curse. It can-
not be borne longer 'by a woman so passionate and
resolute. Hence, therefore, we are convinced that
these long-continued and pertinacious squabbles be-
tween herself and her despised husband must be soon
brought to a decisive termination.

While these quarrels were raging in the palace of
Madrid, and finding even an echo in the audience-
chamber of Aranjuez, the military cruelties which
have been so repeatedly practised among the provin-
cial captains of the Spanish armies are continued with
unabated energy and frequency. Foremost among
their recent brutalities is unquestionably the murder
of the old Carlist chieftain, Canon TRISTANY, a brave
and naturally generous soldier, seventy years of age.
It would appear that this venerable adherent of the
Prince who has latterly resigned his claims to the 1
diadem of Spain to his son, the Conde DE MONTE.. I
MOLINO,was captured at Puiguarnau Lianera, and was,
by the inhuman command of General PAvIA,
forthwith carried to Solsona and shot there;-in
his birthplace. Such ruthless effusions of blood
meroly for the gratification of ancient animosities
cannot do otherwise than prejudice the cause they
are intended to advance; and it is heartily to be desired
that among her other innovations Queen IsenELLa
may take measures for the prevention of such atro-
cious acts of barbarity.
Under all circumstances the young SOVEREIGN of
the Spaniards may rest satisfied that her endeavours
to release herself and her country from the yoke of
the perfidious persons by whom she and her subjects
have hitherto been betrayed will elicit the sympathy
of every free and generous nation. By a persistence
in her present movements for the political regenera-
tion of the Peninsula, ISABELLA. may free herself from
all foreign and detestable restraints, if she cannot ac-
quire for herself the glory which invests her illustrious
namesake. Let her, like BASSANI°, select the right
casket and she will ensure for herself a happy and
prosperous future.
____

Prevention is better than cure. We fear it will
soon be discovered that the wisdom involved in the
above apophthegm, in so far as it is applicable to sana-
tory regulations, has been most indiscreetly con-
temned by the authorities of the city of London. A
most important statement was made to the Lord
Mayor on Tuesday by Dr. LYNCH, on be-
half of the ward of Farringdon Without, evincing
the immediate necessity for the adoption of the most
active precautionary measures to guard the public
from the spread of fearful diseases already engendered,
and which, at this season of the year, should
sultry weather prevail, will, unless checked in the
outset, certainly commit awful ravages amongst the
community, and especially amongst its poorer classes.
A want of ventilation and an inadequate supply of
water to the different courts and alleys, now
crowded to suffocation in consequence of the
great influx of Irish poor, constitute two of the
chief predisposing causes of epidemics. It is revolt-
ing to contemplate the description given of the dwel-
lings of the indigent in many parts of the City.
Overflowing cesspools, charged with the foulest im-
purities, from which pestiferous gases are being per-
petually exhaled, infecting the immediate atmos-
phere, in consequence of the absence of ventilation, to
a degree wholly insupportable to human nature, and
poisoning the water, with which some of the poor in-
habitants are only supplied for one hour, three times
a week, form another powerful incentive to the
creation of malignant diseases. It seems, moreover,
that the Commissioners of Sewers have no authority
to compel landlords to trap and open the drains of
their houses into the common sewer; the result is
that wherever a landlord is indisposed to incur any
xpense, his premises become a separate source of
infection. A compulsory law should, therefore, be
orthwith obtained for this essential object, and, look-
ing to the advanced period of the session, no time is
to be lost. There can be no doubt that, should the
Corporation move in the matter, Government
will cordially and promptly co-operate with them.
We perceive with satisfaction that the Lord
Mayor, impressed with the perilous condition in
which the public health is placed, has appointed a
court to be held on Monday next, for the purpose of
discussing the merits of the representation which has
been made to him by Dr. LYNCH and others ; and,
considering that Lord MORPETH has recently con-
sented not to. include the city of London in his
Health of Towns' Bill, we trust that the members of
the Corporation will now do all that lies in their
power to minister to the cleanliness and comfort of
the poor, and preserve the health of the thousands
located within their jurisdiction. The poor must be
protected against the oppressive conduct of the dust
contractors. It appears that they have suffered offal
to remain from one to nine months ; and that then
the men whom they instruct to remove the accumu-
lated filth, refuse to perform their duty until they
have extorted a gratuity from the miserable inhabi-
tants. This is an abominable grievance, and should
be instantly redressed.

The mortality of the metropolis has already begun
to increase, and, by reason of the dearness of provi-
sions, the poor are unable to recruit their physical
strength as heretofore, and are consequently more
disposed to become victims to epidemic disease. The
hospitals are crowded. Numbers of their inmates
are being hourly numbered with the dead. The
safety of society demands that every exertion should
at this moment be put forth throughout this metro-
polis in the cause of the poor. Humanity and
skill must be tasked to deliver the people from the
imminent danger by which they are now unhappily
beset.

England is essentially a mercantile and trading
community. We have been termed " a nation of
shopkeepers ;" and, although the title was given as a
mark of depreciation and contempt, we willingly ac-
cepted it. We are not ashamed of the fountain and
origin of all our greatness—of that which has placed
a small island in the foremost rank amongst nations—
which has made the English character respected
throughout the civilized world—which has induced
the most implicit confidence in our probity and
honour—a confidence which has rarely, indeed, been
misplaced. We owe everything to our commerce,
and that commerce has attained its extraordinary
pre-eminence from the care with which it was fos-
tered, and the unbending rectitude and integrity by
which, in the great majority of instances, all our
dealing, have been characterised. There must, how-
ever, be many evil disposed and dishonest men
among so great a multitude, who, failing in busi-
ness, and being unable to obtain a liveli-
hood by their honest industry, would gladly
defraud their creditors of their just rights, and, when
unable to pay in full, would make away with every-
thing, and leave notbing to be divided. For such
men there must be stringent and binding laws, and
a fitting punishment for their offences. But the mis-
fortune that has hitherto attended the legislation on
this subject is, that the innocent have been subjected
to the same
foreseen difficulties,
i treatment as the guilty—,-the unfor-
tunate man, Who sink
Nothings under thsesepressure m
oonfgsut n
a-
lie wilfully dishonest and
dulent
Nothinis essential
erefore, is more
cfrcommercialdepb:ooprl.e. Creditimportant to the community g'
i
well-regulated and maturely digested
and creditor, the object of which should
df debtor
and general
lawer than a
e
al
: tt
the same time to protect from oppression the hone
but unfortunate debtor, and strenuously to repress
the knaveries of the dishonest.
The attention of many of our most eminent legal
reformers has of late years been directed to the im-
provement of the law, and many valuable alterations
have unquestionably already been effected, while
others have been submitted to the Legislature for

'tft -

approval, and are now actually before the Senate.
The Society for Promoting the Amendment of
the Law, in the progress of their useful labours,
has also entered into the consideration of the sub-
ject, and have obtained a valuable report from one
of their members (Mr. Commissioner FANE), a gen-
tleman whose intelligence and ability, added to his
great experience, must command the greatest respect
for any opinions he may form on a topic so peculiarly
within his sphere.
On Monday we published a letter from Mr. FANS,
with which he kindly sent a copy of his report, which
want of space has hitherto prevented us from giving in
extenso. It is the first of a series of papers, in which
he proposes to consider the subjects referred by the
society to its committee. In the present document
the Learned Commissioner enters into the question of
the power given to individual creditors to seize the
property of their debtors, which he considers to be a
delusive remedy, injurious alike to all parties
—creditors as well as debtors—as it enables the
latter more effectually to cheat the former under the
forms of law, and he submits for the reasons which
he sets forth, "that the committee should report that
the power which each creditor now possesses of seiz-
ing his debtor's goods under a fieri facias for his own
exclusive benefit, is a mischievous power which ought
to be aboli.hed." This will no doubt at first appear a
strange conclusion, but it will be difficult to combat
the arguments by which the proposition is supported,
and by which the injurious effects of the system
is made apparent, as well in the cases of dishonest
debtors, where the creditor is too frequently not only
deptivedf-of.his debt, but also amerced in heavy costs
fol:'attempting to set aside some-Conveyance by which
he is cheated, as also in cases sustained by fraud,
where it produces a great inequality, some being paid
in full, while others will not obtain even ls. in the
pound ; also a scrambling for and destruction of pro-
perty, lamentable sacrifices in mismanaged and hur-
ried sales, and, finally, that it enables a knave to put
out of the creditor's reach even the means of paying
for inquiry, which he will not willingly undertake at
his own expense. We shall shortly return to this
subject, our time not at present permitting the full
consideration which its great importance calls for.

A letter from Bucharest of the 22d ult. says—
" The dealings in corn continue unabated. Between
the 12th and 19th more than 400 ships have entered the
two ports of the Danube, and about 15 sail daily with
cargoes of wheat and maize for France and England.
There is a difference of 50 per cent. in the prices at
Ibraila and Galatz, arising from the following circum-
stances:—The duties on exportation are more moderate
in Wallachia than in Moldavia by 100 per cent. on
wheat, and 130 per cent. on barley and maize. In the
second place, Wallachia produces more corn than Mol-
davia, and besides it arrives more easily at Ibraila from
the Bulgarian shore of the Danube. Again, the corn of
Moldavia is brought to Galatz by land carriage only,
while that of Wallachia is floated down to the same port
in large barques at a very small freight. Further, the
access to the port of Ibraila being more difficult than to
that of Galatz, the dealers of Wallachia are forced to be
content with more moderate terms. Bat these differ-
ences will probably be considerably modified by the
customs union just concluded between Wallachia and
Moldavia, and which will come into operation in 1848."
A report has been published at St. Petersburgh of
the produce of the gold mines in the Oural mountains
which were discovered in 1819. They have proved
to be much richer than was at first expected, thanks
to a new system of working them, and have become
the source of a very fine revenue to the Imperial
Treasury. Last year they rendered 68,8801 b. of gold;
which, being estimated at 1,2501. the pound, amounts
to 06,000,000 f. The mines contain also a quantity
of small particles of gold washed down with the sand
from these mountains, from which, together with that
of Siberia, the State bas, since 1819, derived no less
than 717,000,000 f.
Madrid papers of the 20th have arrived.

The Gagta publishes a dispatch from the Governor
of Lerida, dated the 16th instant, announcing the
capture of the Carlist Chief TIUSTANY.
It is said, that at the various Cabinet Councils re-
cently held the question of the QUEEN'S divorce has
been seriously discuss .d, and several Spanish prelates
have been called on to give their opinions on the sub-
ject. The QUEEN has, it is said, announced to the
Ministry, that if they fail to carry the measure she
will immediately form -a Progressista Cabinet.
In Madrid it was' currently repOrted that General
SERRANO had been entrusted with the formation
of a new Ministry, and that lie had called on OLOZAGA
to assist him. Should the Progressistas come into
power one of their first acts will be the re-organiza-

ion of the :National Guard. Another rumour men

tioned General NARVAEZ as the person to whom the
reconstruction of the Cabinet would be confided. The
Tiempo says, that General SERRANO will be appointed
Captain-General of Cuba. The Clamor Publico an-
nounces that Fayal and Terceira have pronounced it,
favour of the Junta of Oporto.

MADRID BOLSA, MAY 20.—The Three per Cents. were
done at 30% for cash; the Four per Cents. at 183/4 ; the
Five per Cents. at 19 ; the Debt without Interest at 5% ;
and the Coupons at 16.
____

We have received the Paris papers of Tuesday.
From the following article in the Journal des
Debats it will be perceived that the principle of postal
reform is admitted by the Ministry, and that the only
argument they venture to make use of against the
proposition of M. GLAIS Bizort (at least, as far as
the press is concerned) is, that it is inexpedient at
the present time to make any alteration. The follow-
ing is the article to which we allude :

" The Chamber of Deputies commenced yesterday the
discussion on the proposition relative to postal reform,
which recommends a uniform tax of 20c. Before exa-
mining the different views of the speakers, we ought to
ascertain if this is an opportune moment to undertake
the reform. We consider the question of opportunene s
to be the only one that ought at present to occupy the
attention ,f the Chamber. We look on the principle of
reform as established, and we are firmly persuaded that
in a, few years—two, three, or four at most—it will be
carried into effect. There aro not, perhaps, in the
principle of the reform, in the Chamber anti the Govern-
ment, two different opinions—every one i. in fa-
vour of it. If wo were in a prosperous year like 1845
it would take place at once; but we are in an unfortu-
nate year, when the prosperity which formerly poured
its treasures on our country and on Europe has all at
once ceased. This is not a mere banal ebjection—the
Committee almost say so. It is, however, asked—

Ought we to postpone all reforms because the harvest
of 1846 wa3 a bad one?' But the failure of a harvest is
an immense impoverishment to a state; its consequences
are incalculable, and every one is well convinced that
our finances will feel the effects of this unfortunate event
for a length of time. The Opposition journals and
speakers in favour of the proposition never fail to lay
before the public an alarming picture of our financial
position; to hear them the state is on the point
of becoming bankrupt. Matters—thank God !
are not so bad as that ; but it is evidently
manifest to every one that we are under the influence
of a terrible crisis, the end of which we do not yet
perceive; it is a fact that we are poorer in the year 1847
than in the year 1846 • our loss may be reckoned by
hundreds of millions, and that of the State by tens. Is
it prudent in such cireurn,tanc,-s to undeitake reforms
which involvs considerable sacrifices ? This is a ques-
tion which, f.‘r our parts, we dare not decide, and which
we content ,urselves with addressing to all the prudent
men of the Chamber. The adoption of a uniform duty
would cause, the first year, a loss to the Treasury of
about 20 millions. We do not discuss the exact amount;
we believe that after a certain time the present receipts
would be attained, and that the State would then see the
term of its sacrifices, But it must be adwitted that the
State would lose 50 millions in the three or four years
following the reform. Are our budgets sufficiently
square to admit us without temerity to add a sum of 50
millions to what the partisans of the measure do not
cease calling the abyss of our deficits ? This is an-
other doubt which we submit to the Chamber."

In the Chamber of Deputies, on Tuesday, the
Finance Minister, M. DumoN, stated that he opposed
the measure solely on account of the deficit which it
would occasi,,n in the revenue. In the course of his
speech M. DtTmoN alluded to the postal reform in
England, which he said had not succeeded, inasmuch
as the Post-office revenue had remained stationary in
England ever since 1843 ! ! Verily, AL DuldoN, if
not one of the most ignorant, must be among the
most impudent of Ministers. The debate on the
proposition of..M. GLAIS BizoN had not terminated
when the post left.
The 1.-7cho de l'Agriculture states that all its ac-
counts from the departments concurred in describing
the pro-pects of the approaching harvest as extremely
cheering—a circumstance which had induced the
holders to send their grain in greater abundance to
the markets, and rendered buyers more circumspect.
In Brittany and Normandy it had been ascertained
tthioant thereuntil
the ripeningwasple
plenty of grain for the local consump-
tion
to 4f. per hectolitre.
ex
. At
t crop. Lyon A
s,
Dijon,fal
ofec
e throughout
h
prices had accordingly taken place, as also in Picardy
and s
n c o n Alsace., and
d At thel
Besancon, in
Strasburg
th e souththe dfimFinnuctieonhaed
amounted s
either declined or remained stationary.°
The produce of vegetables of all kinds inrathe Frenchpric
provinces is said to be astonishing, and all fear of