The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-09 00:00:00

itarniit 2int

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1846.

The most contradictory accounts are continually
arriving from the Tagus. If we were to repose im-
plicit credence upon any individual statement, instead
of collating every species of information—instead of
extracting the kernel of facts from the husk of mis-
xepreseutation—wa should unquestionably be de-
ceived. Watching any disturbed country from so
great a distance, and deriving our intelligence from
separate spectators, we are, so to speak, looking
',Ton that remote spectacle through so many different
glasses. Taken singly, these glasses afford us only a
very distorted view of what is transpiring—one is
concave, another is convex—one magnifies, another
diminishes—one exaggerates every thing into a pre-
posterous magnitude, another reduces everything to a
ridiculous minuteness. It is only by combining these
lenses, as in the telescope, that their different powers
of refraction can be made to harmonise, and that we
can thereby discern the various occurrences and cha-
racters and interests in their true proportions.
According to the advocates of the royal cause, Queen
MARIA DA GLORIA has acted constitutionally in the
selection of her Ministerial advisers—the Duke of
SALDANDA is the impersonation at once of loyalty
and patriotism—the population are disposed to confide
in the wisdom and liberality of the new Administra-
tion—the insurgents are little better than the spawn
of lawless insubordination. According to the well-
wishers of the popular party, on the other hand—the
BOTEUEIGN has violated the most sacred principles of
the constitution—the present Government is formed
of
the creatures of the Gallic Cabinet—the nation is
throughout animated with feelings of resentment
against those who would thus endeavour
ch to subvert
the principal engagements of the arta—the armed
guerillas, championed by DAsA
leagues, are a phalanx of patriots.llTAAB and his col-
was According to the
tio eauseless a
Court sycophants there never
rebellion. According to the enthusiastic
of the present movement the adm
natinneelit„ • euer!
freedom, the very independence of
thee
iwo
tuguese are jeopardised, and hence the ins::
gent chieftains are regarded as the Smiours of

the population. It is almost unnecessary to observe
that neither of these assurances can be regarded as
strictly correct ; neither of them, indeed, can be
said to possess even a moiety of truth. Both are
egregious exaggerations. One is the "puff direct"
of royal coercion, the other is the "puff collusive" of
popular excitement. We should be merely pandering
to the tastes of partizanship did we side with either
of these interested representations.
Scanning the present position of affairs in Portu-
gal, we cannot but acknowledge to ourselves that
there is infinite reason for a revolutionary movement
on the part of the people, and that there are nume-
rous excuses for the young and inexperienced QUEEN.
It is indisputable that the liberties of the community
have been shamefully trifled with, that the existing
Administration has been illegally forced upon the
nation, that the Government has evinced a
grievous subserviency to the pleasure of a foreign
Cabinet. It is equally indisputable that MARIA DA
GLORIA has been exposed to a variety of potent temp-
tations, which her youth, and the bankrupt condition
of the exchequer, only tended to render more power-
ful. The iwilyimonarch of France, whose faculties
of persuasion are becoming proverbial, has
exercised his abilities with the utmost assi-
duity in Lisbon as well as Madrid, through
DIETZ as well as BRESSON, upon Queen MARIA as
well as upon Queen ISABELLA. By his machinations
in Spain the friendship between England and France
has been dissevered ; by his machinations in Por-
tugal the peace of that unfortunate kingdom has been
destroyed. So much astuteness may be regarded as
a partial apology for the recent proceedings in
the palace at Lisbon. It has been insinuated that
the leaders of the insurrection have been actuated by
selfish and interested motives, and that their followers
have been coerced into their service. Both accusations
are preposterously foolish. The popular chieftains
have evinced in the most signal manner their inte-
grity and their forgetfulness of all personal advan-
tages. Men do not usually conceive it to be their
interest to act in such a manner that their properties
are confiscated, their titles forfeited, their lives most
imminently perilled. Selfishness forsooth ! It would
be the selfishness of zanies and mooncalves. As to
the forcible detention of entire regiments under their
banners, the notion is a monstrous absurdity. It is
certainly very probable that well-armed troops should
be compelled by a body of rude peasantry to fight
against the forces of the Sovereign ! Supposing such
were literally the case, then are the soldiers of Por-
tugal the veriest poltroons that ever burnished a
bayonet. PAROLLES would be a SALADIN to them.
There is undoubted testimony, therefore, before
us that the present insurrections in Portugal have
originated in the unconstitutional employment of the
sovereign authority. It cannot be denied that the
population has been driven to this outbreak by the in-
tolerable intrigues of the Court faction ; that if the
QUEEN is surrounded with difficulties and dangers
she owes them to herself; that the noblemen who
are styled the " rebel chieftans" have risen because they
concientiously believed some interference with the acts
of the unpopular Government to be necessary.
These facts cannot be concealed by garbled statements
or distorted by specious quibbles. As a specimen
of how repeatedly statements are garbled and quibbles
employed, we may allude to the dispatches from Lis-
bon which have just been paraded with so much
ostentation by some of our Contemporaries
—dispatches which are merely the exaggerated
revivals of news which was stale ten days
ago. The defeat of SA DA BANDEIRA
at Chaves, on the 16th November, and his subsequent
flight to Oporto, was fully commented upon in The
gun of the 27th ultimo. Nothing of particular
importance has subsequently transpired in that portion
of the Peninsula, saving the continued investment of
,copde Des ANTAS in Santarem by the royal forces,
raider SCHWALBAOII and the hero of Almoster.
Matters cannot continue much longer in this state of
suspense. All differences may be definitively settled,
but the QUEEN must be true to herself, and the people
must be true to themselves.

It was with feelings of regret that during the
current year we have, more than once, felt ourselves
constrained to notice the conduct of the authorities of
Alma Mater. The disgraceful consequences inci-
dental to a " town and gown" row, by which life was
seriously endangered, and, subsequently, the extreme
moral delinquency of a clergyman of the Established
Church, as proved in another court of justice, neces-
sarily called forth some reflecting observations
upon the luckless system of education pursued at our
twin Universities. It is wonderful and lamentable to
reflect how slow are these clerical bodies—for such
they define themselves to be—voluntarily to under-
take any reformation, how great soever the enlight-
enment of the age might seem to warrant any altera-
tion in either their peculiar laws, or in their adminis-
tration of the same. Unless some striking event
should occur, by which public indignation is aroused,
and an obvious change for the better be loudly de-
manded, these comfortable patentees of the surplice
sleep on at their posts, reckless of the continuous
violence which, under their auspices, is offered to the
feelings of humanity and the cause of civilization.
And even when the eclaircissement is rendered,
to their prejudice, familiar to the public
mind, it is most unsatisfactory to witness
the dogged resistance, or, at any rate, the sullen
spirit in which they oppose themselves to any revi-
sion, which would mould their statutes in con-
eorrnity with the acknowledged principles of the con-
stitution.

1 In our publication of yesterday we reported an
inquest which was held at Cambridge, on Friday last,
upon the body of a girl, ELIZABETH IlowE, of loose
habits. The facts are shortly these :—one night, last
month, between eight and nine o'clock, one of the
University proctors, the Rev. Mr. KINGSLEY, ac•
companied by two constables of his own, who, it
seems, are, appropriately enough, styled " bull-dogs,"
undertook, at the instigation of one or both of his
redoubtable companions, who informed him she was
a person of ill condition, to arrest the unfortunate
deceased, and to convey her to a black-hole of a
prison, called " the Spinning-house." She was con-
fined an entire night, in a miserable cell, with a
broken window, and without fire, a comfort for which
she, and another female prisoner, pleaded in vain with
the keeper. The victim here laid down on a damp
bed, "on the head of which there• came a great
draught ;" she was discharged in the morning,
severely smitten with illness, after which Mr. NEWBY,
the surgeon, attended her and "found her unable to
move," from rheumatic fever, which' speedily termi-
nated in death. The Rev. Mr. KINGSLEY admitted that
she was conducting herself with no impropriety when
he undertook to deprive her of her liberty ; in fact,
that she went so "quietly," that he recommended the
Vice-Chancellor to release her in the morning. Our
readers should know that the cells of the Spinning-
house are described by the Coroner as " pests and nui-
sances," and that in the view of the jury they are " unfit
for the worst of felons." Thus, in this arbitrary manner,
without warrant, but by virtue of a charter nearly
300 years old, which Mr. KINGSLEY conceded he
had never read, and which, for the honour
of the University, should have long ago become
obsolete—without any knowledge of his own—
but, acting upon the simple ipse dixit of one or both
of the bull-dogs (who might have had no more accu-
rate acquaintance with the party than had the
clerical inspector himself; or, if they had, might have
been actuated by malice, or merely stimulated by an
overwrought zeal for the discharge of their functions),
that ELIZABETH HOWE belonged to an unfortunate
class,—in this tyrannical manner, so repulsive to a
sense of justice, so at variance with the common law
of the land, was this wretched creature prematurely
hurried into eternity ! Let us glance for a moment
at the reproachful mode in which Mr. EDWARD WIL-
SON and the Rev. Mr. KINGSLEY tendered their evi-
dence in this truly melancholy business. The former
alleged that the single square of glass in the
window was not broken the night deceased came in.
It was extracted from the latter, through the exami-
nation of a juror, that the glass was broken the last
time he saw the cell. Perhaps the keeper wanted
anything in the shape of an excuse for having refused
the poor girls a fire during a cold November night.
If the pane was broken subsequently, some proof of it
might have been offered. The keeper believed there
was no fire on the 6th of November. Why, Euza,
WRIGHT swore that they both asked him for one, when
he replied, he would not have a fire for two girls !
Again, Wuisoil deposed that the cell was well pro-

tected from the weather. ErazA. WRIGHT de- • .
clared she laid down with her clothes on,
that the bed-clothes were very damp, that she.
was not ill when taken to the Spinning-house, but,
when there was taken ill with a bad cold and pains
in her bones. The Rev. Mr. KINGSLEY, who was
properly compelled by the Coroner to answer a ques-
tion which he had at first refused to answer, said, the
Spinning-house appeared to him a proper place to con-
fine females ! He admitted afterwards that he did
not know how females are accommodated in gaols.
So that, really, if we were to rest satisfied with the
evidence of the keeper, and the humane Mr. KINGS..
LET, we should be drawn into the opinion that the
Spinning-house was a most comfortable, weather-
proof receptacle for prisoners ; and yet it is as clear
as noonday, and the jury so found it, that
ELIZABETH HOWE died of rheumatic fever, occasioned
by her incarceration in a cold and damp cell, unfit
for the worst of felons ! Bad enough, assuredly, for
the keeper, but is it not monstrous that a clergyman,
who had the use of his senses, and had actually
visited the cell, should bring himself to give such
mincing testimony as the above ? For what pur-
pose ? To blind the ends of justice, and perpetuate
an odious power, which has ended thus fatally.
Looking to the manner in which the Coroner ex-
torted a portion of his evidence, and jurors drew
out from him the remainder, we can easily
conceive that his Reverence's hands would be
ready enough, without the least provocation, to de-
prive a fellow- creature of the hallowed privilege o
liberty. The jury have, rightly enough, taken care
that the whole of the proceedings shall be forwarded
to the Secretary of State for the Home Department,
'We feel, therefore, assured that the earliest means
will be adopted for preventing the public being
chagrined by a repetition of such horrible conduct.
There can be no doubt that this obnoxious power,
which has sunk ELIZABETH Howa into her grave,
will be promptly wrested from the hands of the
University). We shall close our remarks by giving
an extract from a letter of a civilian in Cambridge,
which has appeared in public, demonstrative of the
cruel consequences that flow from the exercise of a
privilege so obstructive of natural liberty
" A young lady of the highest respectability was
quitting a friend's house in the company of a male re-
lation; the latter returned, after passing the gate, in
search of a forgotten umbrella, leaving his fair compa-
nion for an instant unprotected; and, to his astonish-
ment, on hastening to rejoin her, found that she bad
disappeared. The young lady, in spite of her appear-
ance and protestations, had actually been conveyed to
the Spinning-house by the loathsome satellites cf a
proctor, whom I hereby invite to publish his own name
if he dare, and to disprove the above statement if
he can.

" I have simply adduced the above instance to show
that a girt need not even be known to these gentlemen,
far less misconduct herself in their presence, to insure
an introduction to their pestilential establishment. The
merest accident may place a modest and virtuous young
woman in the immediate society of the most abandoned
of her sex."
This relation needs no comment.

The Austrian Observer, of the Ist of December,
announces, from authority, that no secret treaty on
the subject of Cracow has ever been entered into by
Russia, Austria, and Prussia.

We have received the Moniteur Grec of th• 20th
of November.

On the 19th the Chambers were opened for the
third Parliamentary session, by the KING in person.
The speech from the Throne recommends the Legis-
lature to occupy itself seriously with the amelioration
of the financial system. The budget, it states, will
be immediately submitted to them, and henceforth
the Government will not be under the necessity of
asking for provisional credits. His MAJESTY states the
agriculture and the commerce of Greece to be in a
flourishing condition.

M. COLETTI had been dangerously ill from inflam-
ation of the kidneys, but was getting better. Up
to the 1 tth of November the state of his health
caused the greatest alarm.
Upwards of 40 vessels were wrecked in the Black
Sea during the late storm.
The Journal de Constantinople states that the cho-
lera broke out at Tabriz on the 11th of October, and
at Diarbakir on the 10th.

Madrid papers of the 30th have been received.

A Ministerial crisis had happened on the 29th. Senor
PACrISECO, the leader of the Opposition, holds the
office of Public Prosecutor in Madrid. He applied
for leave of absence from the Government to attend
his election at Seville. The Government refused to
grant the leave required, and Senor PACHECO resigned
his office. Senor ISTURITz accepted the resignation of
PACHECO, but when the QUEEN was asked to sign it
she refused, declaring she thought the Ministry had
used Senor PACHECO excessively ill. Thereupon
ISTURITZ and his colleagues tendered their resigna-
tions, which were accepted ; and the Marquis of
VILLUMA was sent for by her MAJESTY, and commis-
sioned to form a Ministry. The Marquis, however
failed, and acting on the advice of Count BRESSON„
the QUEEN sent for Senor IsTuarrz and his col-
leagues,:who, on the acceptance by her MAJESTY of
Senor PACHECO'S resignation, consented to resume
their offices.

A fire broke out on the 29th in the office of the
Minister of Marine, which destroyed the archives of
that department.
News from Lisbon to the 22d November had ar-
rived at Madrid.

The Tiempo states that BOMFIN and CELESTINO
had effected a junction with DAs ANTAS at Santarem,
having completely out-mancauvred the Viscount
SETUBAL, who had endeavoured to prevent them from
effecting the junction. The losses of SA DA BAN •
DEIRA in his action with CAZAL, at Chaves, have
been much exaggerated. In the bulletin published
by SA DA BANDEIRA he admits that two regiments
deserted to CAZAL, but states that, notwithstanding
this desertion, he defeated the troops of CAZAL.
Neither party seems inclined to accept the mediation
of Colonel WirLDE.

MADRID BOMA, Nov. 30.—The Three pm. Cents.
were done at 34 ; the Four per Cents. at 21 ; the Fire
per Cents. at 211 ; and the Coupons at 19k.

We have received the Paris papers of Sunday.
The Ministerial journals contain long accounts of
the fete given by M. GUIZOT to the Bey of Turas, on
Friday. A great number of Peers, Deputies, and
Foreigners of distinction were present, but the only
Ambassador there was the Spanish Ambassador, MAR•
TINEZ DE LA ROSA. Lord WILLIAM HEEVEY was
there for a short time. Of the Royal Family the
Dukes DE NEMOURS and D'AUMALE were present.
There was a gram' concert performed by the
pupils of the Conservatoire, under the direction of
MM. AUBER and HADENECIC. The Duke DE MONT-
PENSIER joined the festive party at 11 at night.
There was a grand review in the Champ de Mars
on Saturday, in honour of the BEY. There were
25,000 troops on the ground, under the command
of General Tisußcz SEBASTIANI• The Artillery
was commanded by the Duc DE MONTPENSIER,
Count MOLE visited the KING of the FRENCH on
Thursday, at St. Cloud, and was most graciously
received by his MAJESTY.

The case of the prosecution of the agent of Queen
CHRISTINA, by M. LEFEBUZB, to recover 11,181 f.,
for some valuable lace sent to Madrid at the time of
the Montpensier marriage, came on before the
tribunal of Commerce, on Friday. The Court decided
that it had jurisdiction, and the case will therefore
proceed.

The Three per Cents. were done at Tortoni's on Sunday, at
82f. 30c.
MARSEILLES, DEC. I.—Marseilles and Avignon, 866 f. 25c.;
Northern, 635 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 497 f. 50c.
Litobrs, Dac. 4.—Paris and Rouen, 865 f. ; Avignon and
Marseilles, 866 f. 25c. ; Northern, 632 f. 50e. ; Paris and
LyOns, 498 f. 75c.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, DECKSIBER 7.
Central of Spain, %—Direct Bombay and Madras, %
Dutch Rhenish, s—Jamaica South Midland Junction, 15B—
Luxembourg, • —Northern of France Constituted, 10%—
Orleans and Vierzon, 1314—Orleans and Bordeaux, 8144—
Paris and Lyons Constituted, 51/(3—Rouen and Havre, 251,i—
Strasbourg and Bale, 31/8.

THE FRENCH PLAYS.—The Conde de Montemolin,
attended by his Chamberlain, Colonel Merry, General
Don Juan de Montenegro, and Don Jose Garci di
Martin, honoured the French Plays with his presence on
Monday evening. There were also present, Prince Louis
Napoleon, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Marquis and
Marchioness of Lore, Lady Leveson Gower, the French
Ambassador and suite, the Earl and Countess Brownlow,
Lady Caroline Maxse, Count and Countess de Jarnac,
the Hon. Miss Foley, Lady Augusta de Nieumann, and
Lady Georgiana Codrington, Lord John Manners, Earl
of Charleville, Sir Ralph and Lady Howard, Lady Selina
Bridgman, Countess of Blessington and the M.i.sses Power,
Lady Meux, Lord Clifden, Sir J. ii. sowther, Sir H.
Webb, and Mr. 11. T. Hope.