The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-02 00:00:00

• of the city of London, on 'Wednesday last. At these and
other civic entertainments, where parties of every
political shade meet together, it is a wise rule that
an abstinence from political references is, for the
most part, scrupulously observed. Still it not un-
frequently occurs, that upon these occasions much of
vast public import is judiciously elicited without
infringing upon the harmony which is essentially
respected. Mr. Alderman CHALLIS, in proposing the
health of Lord J. RUSSELL and her MAJESTY'S
Ministers, offered some interesting remarks, founded
upon his own experience, on the state of our prisons,
the dwellings of the poor, and the deficiencies of
education that characterise the lot of many of our
miserable fellow-beings. Lord JOHN at once assured
the company that, to the subjects of such " utmost
importance," as the Alderman had broached, " the
unceasing and conscientious attention of the Ministry
would be given." His Lordship fervently added—
" Let us hope that those great problems, many of
which have hitherto been hid in obscurity, but which,
nevertheless, are matters well worthy of the attention of
statesmen—matters relating to the social condition of
the community—will receive such attention, that both
here and elsewhere the condition of the great mass of
mankind may be improved ; that not only may our gaols
be tr.ade places of less suffering, and greaser hope of re-
formation, but that by more attention to the means of in-
struction many may be preserved from the guilty course on
which they now enter, in utter ignorance of their duty both
to God and man."
This is sound and philosophical. It is probing the
wounds of the body politic to their lowest depths.
Elevate the mind of the nation throughout its entire
range with proportional enlightenment, and crime,
with its accursed legion, which now invests our
choicest citadels of civilisation, will be comparatively
scared from their very precincts. The fell monster
may continue to coast our walls, and hover around
us, but will cease, in progress of time, to eat into
the vitals of a contented, enlightened, affectionate,
and morally disposed community. Cessat causa
cessat affectus. A passing sentence or two of the
Lord Chief Baron came well in aid of the general
tone of Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S speech. We extract
the following with pleasure :--
"They might rely upon it that the question of the
suppression of crime did not depend upon the manner in
which they were to deal with criminals in gaol. It de-
pended upon the mode in which they treated the op-
pressed, the poor, and the ignorant, who were not in
gaol. By taking care of those classes, and instructing
them, they would repress crime, and would prevent the
gaols being filled. Let them, then, as far as possible,
raise the humbler classes, give knowledge where they
found ignorance,, and ever relieve where they met real
distress.'

These are sentiments of noble and enlarged charity
—reason applauds, and the heart approves of them.
It will be a happy day for this country to behold
them fully developed by the wisdom of our lawgivers.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL is a skilful navigator.. He
has traced out a chart, and noted down the dangerous
shoals and sunken rocks upon which, for want of a
provident helmsman, the hopes of many a nation have
been wrecked. He has embarked upon an arduous
voyage, and sure we are that millions of his com-
patriots will lend him every assistance to bring it to a
prosperous issue.

It is said that overtures will shortly be made by
Austria, Russia, and Prussia, to the Governments of
England and of France for the settlement of the
affairs of Poland in general, and of Cracow in parti-
cular.

Madrid papers of the 25th ult. have arrived.

The Herald() contains a long account of the formal
demand of the INFANTA'S hand for the Due DE
MONTPENSIEE by M. BuitssoN, the French Ambas-
sador, the whole of which will be found in another
column.

The Clamor Publico publishes the following corre-
spondence between General SERRANO, one of the leaders
of the Opposition, and Mr. BULWER, in which it will
be perceived that the latter distinctly and flatly con-
tradicts the assertion made by M. IsTuarrz in the
Chamber of Deputies, " that the marriage most op-
posed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of her
Britannic Majesty was that of her Majesty the
QUEEN

" TO H. L. BULWER, ESQ.
" Esteemed Sir and Friend,—The President of the
Council of Ministers, replying to a speech in which I
expressed my opinion relative to the message concerning
the marriage of her Majesty and the Infanta, made use
of the following terms :—` But what will the Honourable
Member think if I tell him that the marriage most op-
posed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of her Bri-
tannic Majesty was that of her Majesty the Queen ?
What will he say if I add, that the desire and intention
of that Cabinet was to present, as the sole candidate for
the Queen's hand, another Prince, who, at the present
moment, is in disaccord with what is passing?' The belief
in which I have been until now, that the opposition made
by you and by the Government of her Britannic Majesty,
referred solely to the marriage of her Royal Highness
the Infanta, heir presumptive to the throne, with the
Duke de Montpensier, and the importance attached by
public opinion to a knowledge of the real sentiments of a
nation, the friend of Spain, regarding an affair which so
nearly affects our interests and nationality, induces me
(being desirous of forming a proper judgment and of
rectifying that of my fellow-citizens) to direct myself to
you, in the hope that, if there is no objection, you will
have the goodness to manifest to me what you may deem
prudent, and what may conduce to the elucidation of the
enigma, which the words of the President of the Council
of Ministers have created in the minds of the majority of
the Spanish public.
" What I would most appreciate is, that you will ex-
plicitly let me know as much as possible what have been
the general principles followed by your Government in
the affair of her Majesty's marriage, and what are ac-
tually its feelings in respect to the election of a husband
definitively made by the Queen. The object of this
communication being dictated solely by a principle
purely of public interest, I hope you will not limit me
in the use I may deem fit to make of the answer you
honour me with, and remain your attentive and faithfu
friend.
(Signed)

" FRANCISCO SERRANO."
ANSWER.
"TO THE MOST EXCELLENT DON FRANCISCO SERRANO.
"My dear General—l know of nothing in the spirit
of true and honourable diplomacy that should induce a
Minister representing England, in moments and upon an
occasion like the present, to involve the opinions of his
Government in the mystery of forms. This Govern-
ment is honest and frank, and I speak to a gentleman
equally frank and honest.
" I at once, then, answer you, saying that the English
Government, whilst respecting the election of her Ma-
jesty the Queen of Spain, whoever might have been the
Prince she chose for a husband, has always wished it
might fall on a Spanish Prince, judging that such an
election would be the best calculated to preserve
the existing relations in Europe and the independence
of this country, and which, being most advan-
tageous for the interests of Spain, possessed the greatest
probability of meriting the approbation of the Spanish
people. The manifestation which all parties made a short
time ago in favour of the pretensions of his Royal High-
ness Don Enrique, and the manly, independent cha-
racter of this Prince, joined, it must be said, with the
objections made by persons in this Court, competent to
judge of such a matter, in regard to his Royal Highness
Don Francisco d'Assis, induced the British Government
to believe that Don Enrique might better unite than any
other candidate the qualities which should adorn the
consort of Queen Isabel, and this opinion was expressed
as one friend might give advice to another in an affair
of importance.
"I cannot declare what has passed in such conversa-
tions; but the formal protest which I have presented on
the part of my Government, the notes which I myself
have addressed to the Minister of State of her most
Catholic Majesty, in which question has not been made
in any way of his Royal Highness the Infante Don Fran-
cisco d'Assis, together with this simple relation, fully
justified, in my idea, your belief that the opposition made
by me and by the Government of her Britannic Majesty,
alone referred to the marriage of her Royal Highness
the Infanta, and whatever may be said to the contrary,
I have the satisfaction of affirming, with the confi-
dence of a person who knows his language is that of
truth, that the Government of her Britannic Majesty
will see with pleasure the election which has been
made of a Spanish Prince, and if this Prince, upon
whom has now fallen the choice of her most Catholic
Majesty, corresponds with the opinion znanifested in his
favour, and acts according to the sentiments natural to
the blood which circulates in his veins, that is to say, as
a Royal Prince and true Spaniard, evincing a love of
liberty, respect for the laws, and a firm adhesion to the
independence of this country, not only will he be re-
garded with a just and and favourable sympathy by the
British Government, but likewise will attach to himself
the affectionate and ardent approbation of the English
people, who regard Spaniards as brothers, with whom
they have shared the glories and perils of war ; as
allies, with whom they have ever been anxious to culti-
vate friendly relations ; as men worthy of enjoying the
benefits of peace and independence ; and, finally, as
friends, to whom, as you may perceive by this commu-
nication, their representative can speak with sincerity and
witlic.ut disguise.
" With this motive, I have the pleasure of offering to
you the assurances of my distinguished appreciation
and friendship, remaining your very attentive servant,
"H. L. BULWER."

It is needless to add, that the Clamor Publicowas
seized for the publication of these letters.

It is said in Madrid that the Austrian, Russian,
and Prussian Cabinets are in perfect accord with the
British Government in the view which the latter takes
of the Montpensier marriage. They consider that
its consequences threaten the preservation of the ba
lance of power in Europe, and dynastical and com-
mercial interests of many countries, and, in conjunc-