The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-23 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS

FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
(From the Globe.)
Sir Robert Peel's declaration of Monday was an hu-
miliating acknowledgment of the distrust of his fol-
lowers. The existence of that distrust has long been
matter of notoriety ; but it has never been yet so
clearly shown to the country as by the present pre-
caution a,ainst its operation for a single week. It
is now clear that the party distrust Sir Robert so much,
that it is necessary for him to commit himself to its
policy a week before he can show his course by vote or
speech in the regular course of debate. Sir John Bul-
lee.% notice appeared so much at variance with the usual
course of Sir Robert Peel, and the caution of his cha-
acnaturally gave rise at first to suspicions
that e
tr
aronet was acting on his own head,
land without concert with his leader. But the cha-
rtil
etha worthyt it very n
',tete'. of that gentleman convinced all who knew any-
-1 ' u'itn that &ugh could not be the case. He
--o. moderato of the Conservative
--,,ntary career be has
,tioular

thing ot
is really one of the n,,,_
party ; and during his Par►iai....
been generally considered as Sir Robert s
country-gentleman. We are therefore quite ready
to believe that the step has been taken with the full I

consent of Sir Robert : that it was not taken without
the fullest consideration and deliberate concurrence of
the leaders of the party ; and that Sir Robert, finding
the motion must be made, placed it in Sir John's
hands as the fittest person to make it.
(From the Standard.)
Another night has been wasted upon the deplorable
case of privilege. Upon a motion by Mr. Thomas
Duncombe, the warrants for the late committals were
ordered to be laid before the House, after a short re-
sistance by Lord John Russell. The motive for this
resistance will appear when it is known that the Attor-
ney-General boasted to have so framed the warrants
as to conceal the particular offence for which
the parties were committed, lest the Court
of Justice should take cognizance of it. Let us
understand this proceeding. Either the offence pu-
nished is known or it is not known. If it is known
the Courts of Justice must take cognizance of it
upon application, whatever the terms of the war-
rant, for complete notoriety is judicial knowledge, as
the text writers on the Roman law, and on our
own law, admit. If it is not known, what is the use of the
punishment inflicted ? The effect of example is the only
justification for punishment ; but the penalty inflicted
without known offence affords no example ; it appears,
and it is, but a barren act of capricious cruelty. How,
indeed, is any one to know that Messrs. Evans and
Wheelton are not the victims of such an act ? There
is an order of the House of Commons forbidding to tell
of what these Gentlemen are accused, and the Attorney-
General boasts to have craftily contrived the warrant so
as to preserve the secret. This is to maintain the dig
nity ! of the House of Commons.
(From the Courier.)
We can have no sympathy with such a person as
Stockdale, between whom and Mr: Daniel O'Con-
nell there would however appear, in some respects,
such a conformity of tastes and pursuits, that the bitter
and personal rancour of the " beggarman" against the
other " pauperised person," as in his own acknowledged
letter the former styles himself, can wily be accounted
for on the vulgar adage that " two of a trade can
never agree." But, as in the similar case of Wilkes,
it may be said that from evil may arise good, and
whatever the true motives of Stockdale, con-
ceding for the argument that they were as worthless
and mercenary, as freely represented in the House of
Commons, we must still hold that, wittingly or not, his
prosecution of those honourable and really guiltless
tradesmen, the Hansards, will result in signal benefit
to the nation. The more the extent and consequences
of the uncontrolled privileges assumed and now battled
for by the House are investigated, the more subversive
will they be found of the rights of the subject, and the
peace and good order of society.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
There being only 36 Members present at Four
o'Clock, the House adjourned till to-morrow.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woo'-
sack at Five o'Clock.

The Clerk of the Hanaper in Ireland brought up ti e
writ showing the election of Edward Baron Crofton in
the room of Earl Kingston deceased, as a representati% e
Peer in the kingdom of Ireland.