The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-15 00:00:00

inbuing

LONDON, SATURDAY. MAY 15, 1847.

Their Lordships have evinced their wisdom and
discretion--they have re-considered their former
decision, limiting the duration of the most important ,
clauses of the Irish Poor-law—they have escaped
from the incongruities and absurdities in which they
had been involved by the temporary success of Lord
MorrEa.oLE's amendment. The measure is now
permanent anent in all its parts, and the great experiment
receive a fair trial. Of course the same power
will exist in the Legislature of altering or abolishing
any of its provisions, which may in practice be found
to work badly, or to disappointwit the expectations that
have been entertained
respect to them that it
possesses in all other matters It will still retain its
power of revision, but willnc)tbeorced to enter into
the consideration at any particular f
not entertain the fears by which thePlrr
landlords.isda. We
have been haunted—we are convinced
as they adapt themselves to the altered circumstances
"'"
that so do
of the country—so soon as they take the neces
sary steps for giving adequate employment to
the myriads of able- bodied labourers, whom they
must otherwise support in idleness, and convert
tho3e who now are weighty burdens on the re-
sources of the nation, into producers of national
wealth, bard-working men, earning their daily bread
by the exercise of their own honest industry, they
will find themselves the greatest gainers by the
change. Had the limitation still continued, they
would not have made the necessary exertions. They
would have contented themselves with the vague hope,
that all the mischief that would have been occasioned by
their own neglect and apathy, would have induced
Parliament to suffer the law to die a natural death,
and perhaps to provide a portion of the expenditure
out of the National Exchequer, or, in other words, out
of the pockets of the English tax-payers. These hopes
aro now taken away. They must rely on their own
sctivity itucl inagrgy. They:Eaupt meet the difficulty

by their own strenuous exertions. They will not be
unaided in their efforts ; every reasonable assist-
ance will be afforded. British capital will
be applied to the improvement of their
properties, money will be advanced—repayable
by easy instalments—by the judicious application of
'which their waste lands may be reclaimed, their fields
brought to the highest degree of cultivation and fer-
tility, their produce more than doubled, and all the
natural capabilities of the country fully developed.
If they do not take due advantage of the proffered
benefits, they will have themselves alone to blame,
they will become the first victims of their own
culpable folly and blindness, and cannot hope for
sympathy in the ruin which their way ward ob-
stinacy may occasion.

Although we have to congratulate the public on
the prudence thus manifested by their Lordships, we
regret to say that no effort was mark to restore the
11 th clause, which was expunged from the Bill on
the motion of Lord STANLEY, or to get rid of the
clause declaring that the occupier of more than a
quarter of a statute acre shall not be considered as a
destitute poor person within the meaning of the Act,
and that it should not be lauful to afford relief to
any such person either in or out of the work-
house unless he shall have surrendered to his
immediate landlord whatever right he had to the
occupation-of such land over and above the extent of
a quarter of an acre, at least ten days previous to his
application. On Wednesday we pointed out the
dangerous tendency of this enactment, that it enables
the landlords to gratify their clearing propensities, to
get rid altogether of ejectment proceedings, and,
by a more certain, although less apparent, modus
operandi, to banish the wretched cottiers from their
holdings. There would be no necessity for the overt
act, which would call forth the public indignation at
the inhumanity of the perpetrator. They have only
to refrain from taking steps for employing their
tenantry, and they will attain their object, while the
strongest inducement is held out by the absence of
the I lth clause to the landlords to bring their powers
into full force. The clause added to the Bill,
on the motion of Lord LucAri, "That no
person shall be deemed to have been resi-
dent in an electoral division, unless he shall
have occupied some tenement, or usually slept within
such division for the period of thirty calendar months
out of the three years preceding the period of his re-
ceiving relief," although it may be of some slight
service, will by no means prove a sufficient substi-
tute. It introduces, too, the vexala qucestio of
"settlement," which, it was understood should form
the subject of a separate enactment, and opens a wide
field for litigation. We trust that the representa-
tives of the people will fully consider the probable
results of these clauses before they finally sanction
the amendments introduced in the House of Lords.
If they omit doing so, we are thoroughly convinced
that ere long Parliament will have to legislate anew
on the question, and that many scenes of misery and
suffering will be enacted in the interim.

The Hydra of civil war is beginning to hide its
diminished heads in Portugal. Concessions are
taking the place of military reprisals, and negotiations
are proceeding in lieu of bombardments. However
much the Royalists may be solicitous to mince a
discreditable reality into a specious and flattering
fiction, it is undeniable that Queen MARIA DA GLORIA
has been driven to these meagures of conciliation by
the valorous bearing of the insurgents, and that the
latter were originally incited to a popular movement
bv the unconstitutional policy adopted by their deluded
SOVEREIGN. British mediation is, however, at length
proving successful. The propositions communicate
by Colonel WTLDE to the regal councils of Lisbon
have been ultimately accepted, and that Plenipoten-
tiary has consequently proceeded to the insurgent
forces for the purpose of preventing, if possible,
any further bloodshed. So far our last dis-
patches had already afforded us authentic in-
formation, but the intelligence which has just
arrived recounts the reception of the English
pacificator, and the questionable success of his chari-
table endeavours. Despite the distinct acquiescence
of the Portuguese Monarch in all the terms pro-
pounded by Lord PALMERSTON, there was manifestly
a disinclination on the part of the revolted officers to
yield so readily and peacefully to the offers of recon-
ciliation. The effect of this disinclination has, un-
fortunately, proved disastrous and sanguinary.
After shunning any definitive answer to the proposal
of Colonel WrLDE, SA DA I3ANDEIRA pushed forward
to St. Übes, where a murderous conflict with the
QUEEN'S troops resulted in the discomfiture of the
assailants, and the butchery of three hundred soldiers,
under the banners of the revolution. Those, how-
ever, who would asperse SA DA BANDEIRA, as having
wantonly provoked this slaughter, Mould remember
that the population of Portugal has received the
inost startling lessons of inhumanity from the sup-
porters of MARIA Di GLORIA. They should remember
the brutalising spectacle of Torres Vedras and the
general savageness by which the Royalist soldiers have
latterly been so peculiarly characterised.-
Subsequently to the engagement at St. Übes
Colonel WTLDE, accompanied by the Marquis DE'
ESPANA, proceeded to the head-quarters of the insur-
rection at Oporto. Through the moderation of the
Junta, and especially through the sagacity of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, Count DAs ANTAS, it is presumed
that the pacific anticipations of the Commissioners
will in the end be realised. Curiously enough, the
French representatives at Lisbon and Oporto have
taken no part whatever in these momentous negotia-
tions, so that the honour of having mediated effec-
tually between the people of Portugal and the SO..
VEREIGIN of Portugal will belong almost as exclusively
to England as the odium of the original outbreak
is traceable to France. Whatever, indeed, may be
the consequence of the pending communications, it
will remain perpetually to the credit of the British
Government, that it interposed with its diplomacy for
the sole purpose of effecting a satisfactory compromise,
while the Government of the Tuileries has remained
designedly aloof from all conciliatory correspondence
with Portugal, after having been principally instru-
mental in embroiling its inhabitants.
Inuendoes are prevalent that Queen MARIA will
wince her indignation at the recent battle of St.
Übes, by denying the benefit of the intended amnesty
to the popular chieftain, SA DA BANDEIRA. Heartily
do we trust that her MAJESTY may display no such
paltry or disgraceful inclination to gratify a revenge-
ful spleen. The conduct of SA DA BANDEIRA, though

by no means justifiable on the ground of humanity,
is certainly very conceivable in the then position of
affairs in the Peninsula. lie acted with the inflexible
decision of one who was guiding his insurgent coun-
trymen to the compensation of their many social and
political grievances. The cruelties perpetrated by
the military adherents of MARIA. had steeled
his heart against compassion ; the democratic
disturbances in the capital, where the prison of Li-
moeiro was broken open and the convicts liberated,
had inspired him with a very comprehensible confi-
dence in the strength of the popular cause ; and the
tardy but complete acceptance of the British media-
tion by the SOVEREIGN, assured him that the latter
was aware of her own weakness. Actuated by these
reflections, SA DA BANDEIRA was anxious to drive
matters to a triumphant consummation. hence came
the battle in question. SA DA BANDEIRA. was worsted,
although not absolutely defeated, and rumours at
once became prevalent that the Royalists were about
to gratify their animosities to the insurgents generally
by wreaking vengeance upon their distinguished
leader. Call you this magnanimity ? Call you this,
indeed, common decency ? It is assuredly not in
accordance with the generous character of a cons
tutional monarchy.

ermany has a
monument to GUTTENISUEG, why
have some such commemorative
wiLti
---
testimonial to
ANICAXTON ? So has thought
should not England
Mr. B. H. MILMIN: and
thesetrlbtXlied itself in a letter
suggestion arising from
that generous reflectionha
published by us yesterday, and addressed to Viscount
MoarliTir. The document to Which
we
to its
directing especial attention is most honourable are thus
writer, and it is in itself a deserved tribute of h
and gratitude to one of the noblest benefactors and
patriots of this our England—this << precious stone
set in the silver sea." Earnestly do we express our
obligations to Mr. MustAN for the beautiful project
he has revealed to our fellow-countrymen, a project
which happily occurred to his imagination in these
cloisters from the vicinity of which the fir.t beneficent
labours of the great innovator proceeded. .13eYond all

question the grandest boon ever conferred upon this
island was the introduction of Christianity among our
idolatrous forefathers ; and beyond all questio❑ the
most eminent benefaction after that religious blessing
ever performed towards this nation was the introduc-
tion of the sublime discovery of Printing. AUGUS-
TINE and CAXTON are thereby entitled to lasting
reverence and distinguished commemoration. Surely
every one who can sympathise with the divine
generosity and ineffable beauties of civilization will
combine cordially and spontaneously in the erection
of the proposed monument. Excellent, however, as
is the suggestion of Mr. MILMAN, that the memory
of WILLIAM CAXTON should be honoured by England,
we cannot coincide with him as to the manner in
which our admiration for this immortal man should be
displayed. The hydraulic toys of Trafalgar•square
have shown the absurdity of anticipating either
elegance or splendour in the shape of a London
fountain. No : we should be loth indeed to insult

the illustrious memory of CAXTON by the erection of
a squirt and a lamp-post. Let the monument be chaste
in style, grand in proportion, durable in material, and
imposing in its general aspect; otherwise the wish
had better have remained unexpressed. A colossal
statue would be the most fitting memento to WILLIAm
CAXTON—accompanied, if you will, by a fountain of
" living water" by day, and lights burning upon
tripods or antique candelabra, by night. Such a
monument would be worthy of him ; not a piece of
misshapen masonry like the figure that once dis-
graced King's-cross, or the dumb-waiters that still
disfigure "the finest site in Europe."

Madrid Papers of the Bth May have arrived.
The KING lives in a perfect state of seclusion in
the Palace, where he is to be joined ere long by his
younger brothers and sisters. The QUEEN, with her
uncle and her sister-in-law, is at Aranjuez, and is
daily giving proofs of the energy and determination
of her character. Her MAJESTY is, it is said, in
favour of an immediate dissolution of the Cortes.
We find the following in the Tiempo on the subject
of the recent alleged attempt on the QUEEN'S life :

" On reaching the Palace after the detonations in the Al-
cala street, the Queen sent for the President of the Council,
and apprised him of the occurrence, expressing the suspi-
cion that two firearms bad been discharged at her. This
suspicion was next day corroborated, when it was discovered
that the border of the bonnet she wore at the time was
slightly burnt. During the conversation the Queen evinced
the same composure as at the aliment the detonations took
place, seemingly caring but for the great alarm of her uncle
and cousin. It required most earnest entreaties to make
her go to the circus in a closed carriage and with an escort.
The inquiry into this affair has commenced, and the first re-
sult has been the arrest of M. Angel Lariva, an advocate and
journalist. All that is known of his character and life renders
the accusation a very improbable one. His conduct is re-
gular, his political opinions moderate, and he appears inac-
cessible to any sort of fanaticism. He enjoys, to the
highest degree, the esteem of all who are acquainted with
him, and they consider him utterly incapable of having de-
signed or executed the crime imputed to him. Yet some
fatal circumstances are said to be adduced against him. It
would result from the investigation that Lariva hal
hired, on Tuesday, the coach whence the detonations issued ;
that on the same day he fired some pistols at a shooting
gallery, that he caused two of those fire-arms to be loaded
with particular care; and that on his return from the shoot-
ing gallery, he stationed himself at the place where the de-
tonations took place. It is also said that a paper written by
him has been seized, filled with sinister and mournful pre-
dictions, though without any visible connexion with the at-
F tempt. We know not what truth there may be in all these
1 and the other rumours current on the subject; public curio-
sity, the exaggeration natural to our southern character, the
very mystery of the affair, and the contradictory and irre-
cencileable circumstances between the fact and the presumed
author of it, everything is calculated to produce more or lees
founded comments. Justice will no doubt get at the

trutb, for this is a crime affecting the honour of a whole
nation."

The Senor L ARIVA alluded to by the Tiempo is

the editor and proprietor of the Clamor Public°.
According to the Eco del Comercio, the Carlisti are
gaining ground in Catalonia. BERET, the Carlist Chief,
has notified to the QUEEN'S officers that if any more
Carlist prisoners are shot he shall make reprisals.

The Fomento of Barcelona of the 3d inst. states

that the Mexican privateer Unico, mounted with one
gun, and armed by 33 men, had captured off Ivica,
and conducted to Barcelona, the three-masted ship
Carmelite, Captain Edwin, coming from Ponce awl

laden with coffee for Trieste. The Unico had sailed
34 days before from Vera Cruz.

MADRID BotsA, MAY B.—The Three per Cents. were
done at 31% for cash; the Five per Cents. at, 19,A ; the
Debt without interest at 57/s ; and the Coupons, at 16.

We hare received the Paris papers of Thursday,

General TREZEL, the new Minister at War, was
sworn into office on Wednesday. M. JAYR arrived
in Paris the same day, but has not yet been sworn
in. He was at the Chamber of Deputies on
Wednesday, accompanied by M. DUMON, who pointed
out to him the principal Deputies of both sides of the
House, for M. JAYR is so completely a " Provincial"
that he knows not the leading political notabilities
even by sight.
M. LACAVE LAPLAGNE, who was a dead weight
on M. Geizor while in office, seems likely out of
office to prove a thorn in the side of the Minister. In
the Chamber on Wednesday M. LECOUDRAIS brought
up the report from the Committee on the Budget
upon the Department of General Inspection of the
Finances. In this report it was stated that in several
recent instances the Exchequer had suffered in con-
sequence of the defalcation of the receivers of the re-
venue, and the reporter suggested a more stringent
supervision for the future. M. LACAVE LAPLAGNE,
construing this report into an attack by his former
colleagues (M. LECOUDRAIS, the reporter, is a de-
voted partisan of M. GuizoT), immediately rose, and
challenged M. LECOUDRAIS to produce a single
instance in which such an occurrence had taken
place. M. LECOUDRAIS was unable to do so, and
the Chamber referred back this Ministerial report to
the Committee for the purpose of having struck out
of it these calumnious accusations against the fallen
Minister.

The Patrie says—" This afternoon, at three o'clock,
an Aide-de-Camp of the KING went to the Chamber
of Deputies, and delivered to the ex-Minister of Fi-
nances, M. LACAVE LAPLAGNE, a letter inviting him
to go to the Palace at the close of the sitting."
The Courrier Francais says that the Count DE
JARNAC will go to Naples as Charge d'Affaires ad
interim.

The Committee of the Court of Peers on the im-
peachment of General CUI3IERES called before it on
Wednesday M. PARMENTIER, who was under exa-
mination for more than four hours. At a quarter
past six o'clock, M. PARMENTIER, on the termination
of the examination, left the Luxembourg, although
the summons for his attendance was a warrant on
which he might have been detained a prisoner. The
Committee adjourned till to-morrow.
BOU MAZA, accompanied by Captain Ricuartn,
has been received by the Duke DE NEMOURS. He
expressed to his Royal Highness how sensible he wus
of the hospitality with which he had been received in
France.

Two of the sons of DENDRSZ, Prime Minister of
the Emperor of MOROCCO, had arrived at Marseilles,
on their return from a pilgrimage to Mecca. The
Government had ordered a steamer to be placed at
their disposal to convey them to Gibraltar.

Thursday (Ascension) was a holiday on the
Bourse. The magnificence of the weather and the
races of Chantilly had drawn away most of the spe.
culators from Paris. One bargain only in the Three
per Cents. was done in the Passage de l'Opera that
day, and at a trifling improvement—namely, at 77f.
95c.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, MAY 14.

Dutch Rhenish, WA—Namur and Liege, 4—West Flan.
tiers, 31.

THE "UNITED STATES
AND MEXICO.

LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY.
By an extra of the New York journals we hare im.
portant adrices from Mexico:—
VERA. CRUZ, APRIL 13.

An express has come down from General Twiggs to
the effect that Santa Anna was before him at Cerro
Gordo, with 15,000 men, as near as could be judged
from a reconnaissance made by Captain Hardy and other
officers of dragoons. Lieutenant-Colonel J. E. Johnson
had been severely, but not mortally wounded while
examining Santa Anna's works, which appeared to be a
succession of breastworks, on an eminence in the vicinity
of Cerro Gordo. Everything would go to show that
SjNulasnttabe3A.onnmiathiiss;his determined to make a bold stand. A
dragoon, who bad been sent down expressly by General
Twiggs, was yesterday found shot by the road-side,
xicans arepapers had. not been touched. The
playing a bloody, and at the same time a
bolder game than is usual for them, as it is thought they
have killed no less than fifty of our' men within the last
three days on the road.
Maj"."l"4l l'attcl4" 5°4 hero With two bricadea