The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-22 00:00:00

(' fr. ilVilillff

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1846.

We thought there had been quite enough of per-
sonal invective within the walla of Parliament for one
session. We should have conceived that the salient
discussions which grew out of the charge preferred
by Lord GEORGE BENTINCK against Sir ROBERT
PEEL, with respect to his political conduct towards
Mr. CANNING, would have satiated any ordinary ap-
petite for aspersion and defamation. Considering,
too, the triumphant and memorable reply which was
given by the late Premier to the vituperative attack
—a reply which, for its very completeness, drew forth
from Lord JOHN RUSSELL a most honourable enco-
mium—it might have been expected that a little pru-
dence would have dictated to Lord G. BENTINCK the
policy of not making a similar exhibition of himself,
certainly not during the same session. It seems,
however, that his Lordship's appetite for calumny is
not easily appeased, and no doubt Mr. WAKLEY will
one day take leave to inform the aspiring statesman
that he has not the phrenological bump of caution
largely developed.
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK made a rigmarole state-
ment a few nights since, that Lord LYNDHURST per-
petrated, or rather participated in, " a job " when Mr.
DAVID PoLLocx was appointed Chief Justice of
Bombay, with the view of providing for his late
secretary, Mr. PERRY, who has recently been made
Chief Commissioner of Bankruptcy at Liverpool; and
that Lord RIPON had facilitated Mr. POLLOCK'S
elevation to the Indian bench, in consequence of the
ex-Chancellor's having exercised his patronage of the
valuable living of Nocton in favour of his nominee.
The manner and the matter of this charge elicited
from Lord LYNDHURST, in the House of Lords, on
Thursday, a most luminous statement of the facts
followed up by a most vehement philippic against
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK, such as in these days
seldom tickles the ears of the Legislature. It is a
serious business to charge a late Minister, who filled
the office of the highest judge of the realm, with con-
duct which might justify the imputation of his having
been actuated by selfish and sordid motives. Little
do we wonder, then, that Lord LYNDHURST poured
forth his indignation in the withering terms he did.
" I do not know how to justify the conduct of the Noble
Lord, unless that perhaps lie thinks that everything is fair
in party tactics, and that he is therefore justified in en-
deavouring to blacken and traduce the characters of his
political opponents by every means in his power. Perhaps
Le acted on that principle, or perhaps his earlier associations
and habits—(Laughter)—have had the effect of inducing
him to form so low an opinion of the principles on which
mankind acts, that he believes every man, in all the transac-
tions of public life, is actuated by a base, selfish, and sordid
motive.—(Cheers.) In looking at the charges which he
made, I cannot attribute his conduct to any other principle.
It has been said, and said justly, that to be praised by a per-
son who is himself the subject of praise, adds tenfold to the
eulogy—(Hear, hear)—and the same principle applies to
-calumny, for the best antidote against calumny is often found
in the character of the calumniator.—(Cheers and laughter.)
With respect to the Noble Lord's slander, if it is not, as the
p yet says, sharp as the point of the sword, it is not from want
of 'inclination, but from want of power. If his tongue does
not: out-venom all the worms of Nile,' it is 'not from want
of t be will, but from want of ability to instil the poison. A
disti vguished writer has this allusion with regard to persons

unjustly accused, The sting of the wasp may fester and in •
flame long after the venemous—l should have said vexatious
—insect has left its life and its poison in the wound,' and this
is the same with regard to such attacks as that which I have
been directing the attention of your Lordships to."
Lord G. BENTINCK made another long speech last
night, by way of rejoinder to his antagonist. We do
not enter upon any of the puints he sought to esta-
blish, because, as we have no confidence in the data of
one who is constantly retracting and apologising, it
might only be a useless waste of time. On Wed-
nesday the Member for Lynn made a retractation,
and an apology to Lord LYNDHURST, with respect to
the living of Nocton. Yesterday he was forced by
Mr. S. WORTLEY to go through the same humiliating
ceremonyin favour of Mr. PERRY, who, it was clearly
proved, had not been " dry-nursed" by Mr. Com-
missioner HOLROYD, as had been stoutly alleged by
Lord G. BENTINCK on a previcius occasion. We can
have no confidence in any averments which come
from such a quarter. Besides, it is palpable they
have been made, not from a regard to the public in-
terests, but from a malevolent delight in assailing one
of the most powerful members of the late Cabinet,
which happily succeeded in passing the great Corn
Bill, and which has had the effect of rendering the pro-
tectionist leader in the Commons so atrabilious in his
Parliamentary warfare. But, as though in despair of the
futility of his accusation, the Noble Lord last night
cast a new ingredient into his virulent cauldron, in
the hope that his distinguished adversary would not
escape free from all prejudice. Lord G. BENTINCK
asserts that, on the 10th of July last, Lord LYND-
HURST sent an eminent and respected merchant of the
City of London to him, to propose that he should join
the colleagues who were in a minority in her MAJESTY'S
late Cabinet on the question of the sugar duties.
Lord GEORGE dwelt upon this fact to show that his
character stood favourably with the ex-Chancellor
about six weeks since. The divulging of this political
secret may, or may not, lead to a further explanation
in the House of Lords. For ourselves, we see
nothing objectionable in one politician pro-
posing a combination with another, both being
out of office, upon a question where it
was considered their views were parallel.
But what might have been Lord LYNDHURST'S
Opinion of Lord GEORGE on the 10th of July last,
and before the gross and vindictive attack levelled
at his character, for a corrupt exercise of his
official functions, does not necessarily disparage
the view which the late Chancellor may
have since formed of his accuser's character,
now that it has been exhibited in very different
colours. The unbridled license of Lord GEORGE
will, we have no doubt, receive another check.
We should not be surprised if Mr. GLADSTONE were
to administer a wholesome castigation. Experience
is a dear school, and before long the Noble Member
for Lynn may find the truth flashing across the desert
waste of his mind, that there is a certain class of
bipeds who will learn in no other.

In compliance with an order of the House of
Lords, dated August 3, 1846, a return has just been
made of all pensions granted since January 1, 1838.
We turn to this document with peculiar interest,
anxious to discover that while the national revenue
has in no instance been squandered, the national
benefactors have not too frequently been forgotten.
We have examined this catalogue of pensions on the
civil list with the most unaffected and scrutinizing
anxiety; we have risen from its perusal with a mix-
ture of painful and pleasurable emotions, though, it
must be acknowledged, the painful were predominant.
We cannot, unquestionably, complain of any
extravagant expenditure of the public moneys as far as
the sum total is concerned; but in various particulars
we conceive we should be amply justified in cavilling
at the selection of some amongst the recipients.
Nor is this the only cause of our dissatisfaction in
regard to the appropriation of the national funds.,
While our astonishment is elicited by the bounties
lavished upon individuals without the vestige of a
claim to become pensioners upon the British ex-
chequer, our indignation is aroused at the tardy re-
turn made to some of our most illustrious benefactors,
and occasionally at the total omission of very eminent
and deserving names.

During a period of little better than seven years
and a half seventy-nine individuals have been pen-
sioned with merely 10,7801. per annum. Considering
the number of recipients nothing could be more
niggardly than this allowance :-10,7801. distributed
amongst seventy-nine individuals become splintered
into portions but little consonant with the affluence
of this great empire, or the manner in which her
meritorious and necessitous children should be recom-
pensed. The highest among these pensions is 1,0001.
per annum, of which munificence there is a solitary
example; the lowest are 25/., and even 201., of which
there are absolutely seven individual instances ! Is
it, we ask, compatible with the dignity of the English
Government, with the benevolence of the English
laws, with the generosity of the English people, that
their servants should be granted, in their hours of af-
fliction and despondency, such an ignominious bounty
as twenty pounds a year Does not the very inser-
tion of a name upon the Civil List constitute an
acknowledgment that its owner has a claim upon the
gratitude of the population ; and is it not, therefore,
disgraceful to that population that such a claim
should be satisfied by a pittance so niggardly ? Is it
just, is it honest, is it generous to repay our national
benefactors—generally persons of refined minds and
susceptible feelings—with a pension more miserable
than the wages of an ordinary mechanic ? It is
monstrous to shirk these inquiries on the plea of
economy ; as well might a merchant refuse to
loosen his purse-strings for one of the most
useful persons in his counting-house, on
the plea of economy. The relief of the
necessities of her more gifted offspring—those whose
genius has proved the benefaction of their fellow-
creatures—is among the liabilities of a civilised na-
tion. Liquidate those liabilities before you talk of
economy ; but, above all, in Gon's name, do not
reward your benefactors by a lingering starvation—
namely, by a pension of 201. a year Either a
man deserves no recompense whatever, or he de-
serves something better than such a " death in life."

Among the seventy-nine pensioners there are
several foreign and many very obscure names, the
introduction of which is to us peculiarly anomalous,
from our knowledge of eminent personages who, not-
withstanding their genius and their wants, have been
entirely disregarded by Government. Three names in
the catalogue convey a grand and affecting moral ;
they breathe of the woes of genius and of the in-
human parsimony of the State ; they are—

JANE HOOD, 1001. ;
MARY HAYDON, 50/. ;

MARY BANIM, 401.

Surely the names of those widows require no
comment to enforce the melancholy truths they teach.
We will leave their mere utterance to fructify a feel-
ing of generosity in the Administrative, and to
kindle a sentiment more akin to gratitude in the
bosoms of the people.

Already we have spoken of the tardiness evinced in
tendering a recompense where it is ultimately ac-
knowledged to be due. Is an evidence re-
quired ? Here are two. On November 17, 1842,
WILLIAM WORDSWORTII was granted a pension of
3001. per annum. On January 28, 1845, PATRICK
recompenses
per
ee
FRASER TYTLER received a pension ofec 2
annum. Among the most spontaneous
of this description, we must particularly mention
JOHN RAMSAY APCULLOCH, 2001. ; ALFRED TENNY-
SON, 2001. ; JAMES DAVID FORBES, 2001.; and Dame
FLORENTIA SALE, 500/. For such rewards to such
individuals, and so offered, we can, as an organ of
the people, express our cordial and unbidden grati-
tude. Could we recognise a similar impartiality
and a similar munificence throughout, we should
not feel inclined to cavil as we have done
at the various items in the catalogue. Surely the
most " parsimonious politician provident of coin" (to
travestie the language of MILTON) would not raise an
outcry of profligate expenditure were these pensions
of a more average munificence, and distributed with
more discrimination. Many worthier signatures
might then appear among these seventy-nine ; a
larger sum than 10,780/. might then be announced
as thus appropriated ; the number of our illustrious
suicides and martyrs of knowledge would be con-
siderably diminished ; nor would such an arrange-
ment cause the civilisation and prosperity of this
country to retrogress.

A letter from Vienna, of the 9th, states that the
Papal Nuncio to the Court of Austria has gone to

Koningswart, for the purpose of making some im-
portant communications from the POPE to Prince
METTERNICH. The States of Styria have presented
an address to the Emperor of AUSTRIA, praying him
to abolish lotteries. The King of PRUSSIA has
countermanded the grand review which was to have
taken place this year between Fraustadt and Guhraw.
The reason assigned for this countermand is the
scarcity of provisions in the Grand Duchy of Posen,
a scarcity which would have been aggravated by the
presence of a large body of troops.
Madrid papers of the 16th have arrived.

The Herald° states that Mr. BULWER is about to
visit England shortly, but that he will previously
pass a fortnight at St. Sebastian. The Gazette con-
tains an official contradiction of the rumour that
great desertions had taken place in the army sta-
tioned along the Portuguese frontier. The intelligence
from Lisbon contained in these papers is to the effect
that the Government had received a telegraphic
dispatch announcing the commencement of hostilities
by the Miguelites in the provinces of Minho and
Tras-os-Montes. El Padre CASIMERO, a fanatical
priest, was at the head of the movement, and his
troops consist of a numerous band of Spanish and
Portuguese smugglers. He announces himself to be
the protector of the five wounds of our SAVIOUR, and
proclaims the right of Don MIGUEL to the throne.
The Portuguese Government had sent the 15th regi-
ment of the line and a battalion of Chasseurs to the
disturbed districts, and were preparing to forward
more troops.

We have received the Paris papers of Thursday.
The COBDEN dinner is the subject of comment in
the Courrier Francais, and we are rejoiced to find
from the following observations, that the principles of
free-trade have already made so much progress in
France, that their ultimate triumph in that country,
and that at no distant day, is secure :

" Whatever sceptics may say, ideas of peace and liberty
are making rapid progress throughout the world. Take free
trade for example. Scarcely ten years have passed since
those who in England expressed opinions in favour of such a
thing were treated as dreamers; and only twelve months ago
no one dared venture to require the application of such mea-
sures in France. Notwithstanding this, free trade is
triumphant in England, and will, probably, soon be 'so in
France. Already this liberal idea, which was so long mis-
understood and scouted amongst us, has gained a signal vic-
tory over the national antipathy. Had we said a year ago
that an Englishman would receive an ovation from us, an
ovation in which men of all parties would join, members of
the constitutional Opposition, Democrats, and Conservatives,
no faith would have been placed in our prediction. No one
would have credited that a simple cotton-printer from Man-
chester would have been received in Paris not only with
cordiality, but, we may truly say, with an enthusiasm which
even crowned heads do not often awaken. It is true that
this cotton •printer has accomplished, in less than eight
years, a truly gigantic task—in these eight years Cobden,
the simple manufacturer, has vanquished, by the force of
common sense and sound logic, the richest and most power-
ful aristocracy in the world—in these eight years Cobden,
the simple manufacturer, has done more for the welfare and
glory of his country than all his haughty adversaries have
done in a century. It is, therefore, a perfectly legitimate ad-
miration of which the illustrious English Leaguer is the ob-
ject ; it is, assuredly, an admiration as well founded as that
with which, in the eighteenth century, France was inspired
by the American printer, Franklin. Our forefathers hailed
the most active artisan of the freedom of the United States,
and we now hail the most active artisan of English freedom.
For free trade is not merely a question of political economy;
it is more, and above all, a social question."
The Special Committee of the Chamber of Peers,
' charged to draw up the address in reply to the Speech
from the Throne, have appointed M. ODIER as their
president, and Count PORTALIS as reporter,
The Chamber of Deputies still continues occupied
with the verification of electoral returns.

A letter from Toulon of the 13th, says :

" The Dante steamer, which is about to be sent as a pre-
sent from the French Government to the Bey of Tunis, has
just terminated its repairs here, and has been towed out of
dock into the harbour. She has been fitted out with extra-
ordinary magnificence, and is in every respect fit for a royal
present. A letter from Tunis lately announced that the
French Government also intended presenting to the Bey a
brig of war. This piece of intelligence appears to be correct,
as one of the Algerine vessels taken in 1830 is now being
repaired and armed in order to be forthwith sent to Tunis. It
would seem that the Bey manifested a desire to possess a ves-
sel of Algerine construction in preference to any other."

The Messager of Wednesday contains the follow-
ing, which may be considered as the official account
of the recent attack upon Huaheine by the French.
It fully confirms the statements which had previously
appeared in the English papers
_ _

" The last reports from Captain Bruat which have reached
the Government are dated January 29. They state that
some acts of hostility having taken place at Huaheine, a
small island situated 45 leagues from Otaheite, M. Bruat had
felt himself compelled to demand reparation, with guarantees
of tranquillity for the future. These conditions having been
refused, a debarkation was effected against an assemblage of
armed natives. In this action, which was undertaken and
continued by our soldiers with their usual valour, but in the
midst of great difficulties, from the nature of the ground,
we have had to regret the loss of IS men killed, one of whom
was an officer, and 43 wounded. The Government has re-
ceived no other report, and consequently knows nothing of
the incidents which are said to have taken place subse-
quently at Otaheite."
PARIS BOURSE, THURSDAY.—The market has been firm to-
day, both Threes and Fives closing about the quotations of
yesterday, the former at 83f. 75c., and the lattter at 122 f. Sc.
The market closed as follows :—hree per Cents., for cash, 83f.
70c. ; for account, 83f. 75c. ; Five per Cents., for cash,
1221. ; for account, 122 f. sc. ; Bank of France Shares, 3,4701. ;
Neapolitan, 101 f. 60c. ; Spanish Threes, 361/2 ; Ditto, Fives,
331/2 ; New Loan not quoted.
RAILWAYS.—The Share Market has also been firm, and
many of the lines closed a shade higher. For cash—Paris and
Orleans left off at 1,2721. 50c. ; Paris and Rouen, 960 f. ;
Rouen and Havre, 700 f. ; Avignon, 911 f, 25c. ; Strasburg
and Bale, 220 f. ; Northern, 712 f. 50c. ; Bordeaux, 587 t:
50c. ; Paris and Lyons, 526 f. 25c. ; Paris aad Strasburg,
497 f. 50c. ; Nantes, 507 f. 50c. ; Dieppe, 390 r. ; Vierzon,
Boulogne, Montereau, and Fampoux, not quoted.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, AUGUST 21.

Boulogne and Amiens, 12 ?4—Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette
(Mackenzie), —Ditto (Espelete), I —Ceylon, M —Direct Bom-
bay and Madras, 4—Dutch Rhenish, 61,‘ —East Indian, —Great
Western Bengal, ;4—Luxembourg, 1% —Namur and Liege, 234
—Northern of France Constituted, 12M—Paris and Lyons Con-
stituted, 5;4 —Paris and Strasbourg Constituted, 4 %—Toumay,
JurbLse, Landen, and Hasselt, 5.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Room A.
PSANOHESTER. AND SOUTHAMPTON.

The Committee met this morning at ten o'clock ; Lord
Monteagle in the chair.
Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, Mr. Gurney, Q.C., Mr. Edwin
James, Mr. Hope, Mr. Cripps, and Mr. Wheeler appeared for
the promoters. Mr. Talbot, Q.C., Mr. Keating, Mr. Rickards,
and Sir Thomas Phillips, for the opposition,
The opponents continued to call evidence in support of
their case.

Mr. Bowleg, director of the Gloucester Bank, said there
thoatnfecwrosasv-aexileatdtinhaetmiosnel,vhees
soafidthheisextirsottihnegrlminieg.
was but little traffic between Cirencester and Swindon, and
ht have been
on the provisional committee of the line.
Other witnesses having given evidence in opposition to the
line, Mr. C. Russell, M. P., chairman of the Great Western,
was called and examined by Mr. TALBOT—The Great
Western would pay the whole expenses of the opposition of
the various landowners—this was no ordinary occurrence in
railway contests. He explained the arrangements which
had been entered into with respect to the line from Swindon
to Gloucester. The present condition of the arrangement
was this—that the Great Western should be at liberty to lay
down the narrow in conjunction with the broad gauge up to
Cheltenham, and they were now taking steps to t iTect that
object. Mr. Brunel had received instructions to do this.
Unquestionably this determination had not been influenced
in any way by the Manchester and Southampton. If they
obtained their Oxford and Cheltenham line the station
at Cheltenham would be extended and improved. The im-
provements on this portion of the Great Western would be
1,200,0001. A line by Cirencester, he considered, would not
yield any traffic compared with the traffic on the existing
line. It paid 41. or 51. per cent., but nothing like so much
as the main line. The western traffic formed a focus in
Gloucester. All the Welsh traffic came along their line by
Swindon to Lincoln. There could be no doubt that the
Great Western would, according to agreement, offer them
every facility of conveying the northern traffic brought by
the Great Western south. The Oxford, Worcester, and
Wolverhampton was supported by the Grand Junction, on
the Great Western undertaking to lay down the narrow
gauge to Bristol, and was also supported by a great deal of
Liverpool capital, with a view, he had not the slight-
est doubt, of completing a communication north and
south. The Oxford and Rugby was passed under
similar circumstances, and with a similar object. The
Oxford and Rugby would be laid down on both the
gauges. After the expense incurred by the Great Western,
he did not think it would be either fair or reasonable for
Parliament to sanction another line, which would divert a
portion of their traffic. The additional cost of laying down
the narrow gauge on the Oxford and Rugby, would be from
100,0001. to 150,0001., making the laying down of both the
gauges 300,0001. This matter had been decided by the direc-
tors since the line was before the Committee, and since the
recommendation of the Board of Trade. The capital re-
quired for these lines and improvements would be 2,350,000/.
on one side, and 1,200,000/. on the other.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' PROTECTION SOCIETY.--
At a special meeting of the committee of the above society,
held at the office, 90, Farringdon-street, on Friday, the 21st
inst., Mr. T. R. Elt in the chair, the following sums were
awarded :—To Francis Badenham, 223 D, a gratuity of one
guinea, far his activity and perseverance in apprehending
John Collin& for committing an assault and outrage in the
house of Mrs. Taylor, Coachma kers' Arms, Bryanston-street,
Portman-square. At a previous meeting, the following
sums were also awarded :—To Robert Westfield, 329 K ;
Alexander Mitchell, 400 K; and William Nash, 394 K—
half a guinea each, for coming to the aid and assistance of
Mr. Finney, Queen's Head, High-street, Poplar, in a case of
assault and outrage committed upon him. To Sergeant
Emery, 8 C, one guinea, for apprehending Jane Smith and
Mary Thompson, for robbing Mr. Jenkins, Catherine Wheel,
Little St. James's-street, St. James's, of a pewter pot. To
Margaret Best, a marine store-dealer, one guinea, for causing
the apprehension of Mary Bartlett for robbing Mr. Noble,
Mount-row, Lambeth, of a glass; and to James Murrell, ser-
vant to Mr. Rouse, of White Conduit Tavern, Pentonville, a
gratuity of half a guinea, for detecting a woman in robbing
his employer of a pewter pot.