The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-23 00:00:00

THE SUN,

—a circumstance hitherto.,, unknown—those revolu- 1
tions have in no manner interrupted public tran-
quillity,
or caused the effusion of one drop of
a dis-
jointed of blood
Civiliza Vn had hitherto developed itself
state. A terrible convulsion has . restored
result
ditis
component parts to their natural position .
must be almost miraculous in the strength which
must henceforth be evolved, and the symmetry which
will henceforth be apparent. To the Parliament
which has just completed its sittings we are indebted
for this unprecedented innovation upon the prejudices
which have been paramount during many centuries.
History will record the narrative of this memorable
Parliament as the Free Trade Parliament. And
what events the historian will have to chronicle—
what gratitudewill be evoked from posterity !
Among the movements and changes of the Sovereigns
of the whole world since 1841, some have been most
ominous, others have been most propitious. The
friendly intercourse commenced between her Bri-
tannic MAJESTY and the KING of the FRENCH has
been only too speedily followed by the tendency of
the latter to a depraved, a Machiavellian, and a
despotic policy. The visits, whether of curiosity
or amity, paid to England by the Autocrat,
by the Prussian and Belgian Monarchs, by the eldest
son of the Egyptian Pacha, and by the scions of the
different European dynasties, have, in reality, recon-
ciled previous differences and confirmed pre-existing
sentiments of cordiality. While the northern throne
of Stockholm has been vacated by the decease of
one of the crowned lieutenants of NAPOLEON, the
Papal chair has been filled by a benevolent and re-
forming successor of GREGORY XVI., in the person
of Pius IX. While the crowns of the Spanish
BOURBONS and the BRAGANZAS have been placed in
imminent jeopardy by the infamous machinations of
the Gallic Cabinet—machinations subversive of
the sublime principles of national independence—the
people of Prussia have received a liberal constitution
from the spontaneous beneficence of their patriotic So-
VEREIGN. Turkey and Greece have only become em-
broiled to excite the more the insidious jealousies of the
Russian EMPEROR. The Swiss Confederation has
struggled vigorously for the preservation of religious
freedom, and has witnessed the ominous obliteration
of the Cracovian republic from the map of Conti
Dental Europe. Open warfare has not been restricted
to the sterile wastes of Kafirland, and the voluptuous
soil of Cashmere, it has extended its ravages to the
coasts of the Celestial Empire, to the northern frontiers
of British India, to the desolate wildernesses of
Algeria, to the fruitful shores of the Argentine terri-
tories, and to the mountainous regions and
populous cities ,of 111exico. Wherever British
arms have been engaged British valour has been
triumphant. Wherever British interests have been
involved in perils they have been invariably extri-
cated with skill and precision. Such are the foreign
retrospections of the expiring Parliamer.t.
Internally the retrospections of the Free Trade
Parliament are consolatory and unprecedented. The
islands, it is true, have to mourn over the departure
of many of their most illustrious children—an O'CoN-
NELL, a CLARKSON, a GREY, a CHALMERS ; but they
have to rejoice, moreover, at the conquest of many
difficulties—at the dispersion of many formidable anta-
gonists—and at the realisation of many extraordi-
nary boons. Our Legislature has snatched nearly
eight millions of our countrymen from the jaws of
famine—it has prevented the gradual sacrifice of
women and children in the factories—it has opened
an inexhaustible cornucopia by emancipating com-
merce. Three names will be remembered with
gratitude in connexion with these national
achievements. Three public characters will ever
occupy a conspicuous and supreme position
in the records of the departing Parliament—three
men—RICHARD COBDEN, Sir ROBERT PEEL, and
Lord JOHN RUSSELL. When the National Assembly,
during the reign of Louis XVI., was dissolved,
BARNAVE and his colleagues were treated with un-
grateful derision. Let not our gratitude towards
those three great benefactors be thus ephemeral. Let
the Free Trade Triumvirate be remembered on the
heartbs of the English people, and let the recollection
of the liberative deeds of the last Parliament be an
incitement to its successor !

evening, respecting the state of Sinde, must prove in
the highest degree satisfactory to the friends of the
distinguished hero at the head of the Government of
that province. It is unnecessary to remind the readers
of The Sun of the continued and repeated calumnies
that have been poured forth with such perseverance
against the gallant veteran. No means have been left
untried, no stone unturned, to poison and inflame the
public mind. Facts have been distorted until scarcely
a vestige of truth remained under the heap of addi-
tions and embellishments ; new stories have been in-
vented and promulgated with the most unblushing
audacity ; and all the resources of mendacity have
been put into requisition in order to prejudice the
victor of Meeanee in the minds of his countrymen.
It was asserted that he was a tyrannical oppressor,
who had used the power entrusted to his hands to de-
pose some of the most virtuous and inoffensive
Princes that India had ever seen ; that he had sacri-
ficed the innocent Ameers to his own thirst for con-
quest and desire for uncontrolled and despotic govern-
ment; that he had wasted the national finances in acts
of the most wayward extravagance, and had set aside
all the forms of law for the gratification of his own
mere pleasure, and wantonly and unnecessarily kept
the district under the stringent rules of martial-law.
Such were a few of the reports wafted from India
by each successive mail, and echoed even on English
ground by those who should have known better than
to have afforded the slightest credence to such
ridiculous and unfounded rumours.

Meanwhile Sir CHA ELES NAPIER maintained the
even tenor of his way, undisturbed by his pun 2,,
assailants. He was too conscious of his own high
deserts and of the purity of his intentions, too well
aware of the brilliant results he was achieving for his
country, to regard the venomous outpourings of his
malignant calumniators. He knew that their false-
hoods would necessarily recoil on themselves, and
that time would develop the real facts to their lasting
shame and infamy—and he has not been mistaken.
Day by day the clouds of darkness and error that
had been accumulated have been dispersed, and the
light of truth has • shone with increased brilliancy
and lustre—honest opponents have been changed
into zealous and efficient advocates—enemies have
been silenced, the various fallacies that had
for a time deceived even honourable men,
such as the charging the whole of the expenses
of the army that should be kept to guard the fron-
tiers of our Indian empire to the account of the oc -
cupation of Sinde, and also charging the costs of
public works of great and permanent utility, from
which ample returns may be expected, to the ordi-
nary expenses of the Government, have been satis-
factorily explained, and any doubts or difficulties
thereby occasioned, have been wholly removed.
The character of Sir CHARLES NAPIER requires
no vindication before his countrymen. It stands in
that exalted position to which it has been elevated, as
the natural consequence of a life devoted to the na-
tional service, during which exploits of the greatest
brilliancy have been performed, and the honour of
friends his distinguished and untarnished name been upheld,
during which no single act could be adduced that his
crould have wished had been omitted. It must
l,e
a work of supererogation to accumulate testimonies
in favour ofof such a man. What evidence of others
can add to that which the simple recital of his acts
and services will afford, services which have erected
for him a

" Monumentnm zero perennius,"
and secured him an exalted position in the Temple
of Fame ? It may be unnecessary, for hi sake, to
adduce the opinions of the President of the Board of
Control, or of the veteran Governor-Genera of
India, who is equally distinguished as a soldier and a
statesmen. We cannot, however, deny to ourselves,
who have ever been the steady and unflinching sup_
porters of Sir CHARLES NAPIER— who have never for
a moment been misled or deceived by the plausible
tales that were circulated—the pleasure of citing
these statements in corroboration of our views.

Sir JOHN HonuousE says, " Since he had been
connected with Indian affairs he had ever found
that officer (General NAPIER) sedulously attentive
to his duties. If anything was wrong, to General
NAPIER that evil was not to be attributed. The
system might be objectionable, but, so far as General
NAPIER was concerned, he had most honestly, con-