The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

change in the penal code—they have done something
towards the amelioration of the colonists in the West
India islands—they have quashed for ever the charge
of bigotry levelled against the British Legislature by
carrying their Bill for the establishment of diplomatic
relations with the Court of the Roman SOVEREIGN—
they have been the first Cabinet who have
ever done anything whatever in the way cf
sanitary improvement—they have vigorously crushed
the seditious among the Chartists of England—
they have, by a series of gallant proceedings, anni-
hilated the incipient Rebellion which was being ex-
cited in Ireland by the Physical Force Repealers—
they have found time, in the midst of all their more
important occupations, to offer assistance to distin-
guished men, poets and others, who might otherwise
have perished from starvation like SAVAGE, cut their
throats like poor BLANCHARD, or have pistolled them-
selves to death like the unfortunate and distracted
HAYDON. Government having accomplished all these
things, it surely cannot be said to have evinced only
incapacity and indolence.

, Mr. HUMS has not suffered Parliament to close
without announcing his intention of renewing, at
an early period next session, his important proposi-
tion for Parliamentary Reform. We hardly needed
that assurance from the Honourable Member for
Montrose, for the movement in question having
progressed so far as it has progressed, must necessa-
rily now continue until its object is attained. Popu-
lar energy was never yet enlisted in any cause, the
popular mind was never yet bent on the accomplish-
ment of any object, without that object being ulti-
mately attained, and that cause being ultimately
successful. Full of truth is that observation of
AUGUSTINE CAXTON, 44 To push on is the law of na-
ture. You can no more say to men and to nations
than to children, sit still and don't wear out
your shoes I' " Such an exhortation would be indeed
about as successful as summoning spirits from the
vasty deep—" but will they come when you do call
them ?"

To sit still is nowsa-days impossible, absolutely
impossible. This is 4sentially and super-eminently
the age of progress—of progress in the material
world, as is evidenced by the universal prevalence
and unparelleled celerity of the locomotive, and of
progress in the spiritual world, as is manifested by
the extraordinary changes now transpiring around us.
To push on is the law of nature. We admit the truth
of this assertion, and it is a truth in which we glory.
To push on is the law ofnature, and it is a law which
we must inevitably obey. In obedience to this law
sumptuous apparels have succeeded to the skins of
the savage, a complicated commerce has taken the place
of an unprofitable system of individual maintenance,
the man-of-war has followed in the wake of the rude
canoe, and the steam-ship has ultimately eclipsed
the sailing vessel. To push on is the
constant practice of the human race, and in
the political world this tendency has been unmis-
takably and gloriously proved by recent events.
The eloquent Member for Buckinghamshire may
lament over the retrospect of the session, but, unpro-
pitious as in some respects has been the political
harvest of St. Stephen's, we cannot but think of the
session of 1843 with satisfaction when we consider
the evidence it has furnished of the popular tendency
to push on. During this session a great reform movement
has been initiated, and, moreover, the ballot has
been virtually accepted by the Legislature. Next
session is, we are told, to witness the further pro-
gress of these desirable reforms, and mayhap their
entire acceptation. This year reform has had insi-
dious foes to contend with, not the least fatal of
which have been imprudent and unwary friends. The
Chartists, or rather a considerable number of disorderly
persons who pleased to adopt that name, have been the
most effectual enemies of the Charter. Physical
force is the most self-destructive weapon which the
advocate of popular rights can wield. Occasioning
tumult and disorder, and inspiring fear, it only re-
pulses friends instead of overcoming foes. The un-
happy movement of last April, at first alarming, and
ultimately ridiculous, to a certain extent damaged the
cause, and retarded the triumph of Reform. Still
that invincible cause has triumphed ; in short, it
has progressed. And during, the vacation,
although the doors of St. Stephen's may be closed, it
will not fail to make further progress among a greater
and more powerful concourse than St. Stephen's ever
contains. Among the body of the people liberal
principles will not fail to develop themselves with new
force and vigour, and that development will not fail
to have its ordinary and fitting effect upon the popular
representatives. The effect of this legitimate " pres-
sure from without" will be evidenced in the division
lists, and if, as Mr. Hume assures us, Parliamentary
Reform be next session again mooted in the Chamber
of Legislature, it is, to say the least of it, within the
limits of , probability that next session it may be
adopted.

GERMANY

AND

THE NORTHERN STATES.

HUN GARY.

Several encounters have taken place between the
Hungarians and Croatians, in all of which the Hun-
garians have been defeated. The Croatians have
crossed the Theiss.

PRUSSIA.
Accounts have been received from Berlin to the lsi
September. The cholera is increasing in Berlin.

FRANKFORT.

In the sitting of the German Parliament on the
Ist instant a vote of censure on the Minister for
Foreign Affairs was moved by \VERNER. The
urgency of the motion was carried by 232 votes
against 160, and therefore the Assembly proceeded
to immediate discussion. \VERNER'S motion was—

"The National Assembly shall declare that in respect
of the Limburg affair, the Minister for Foreign
Affairs has not shown that zeal and industry that he
ought to have done." After a stormy debate, STEDT..
MANN'S motion was carried, viz., "In consideration
that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has sufficiently
explained the delay that has occurred in the diplo-
matic negotiations with Holland in respect of Lim-
burg, the National Assembly shall pass to the order
of the day."
EISENMANN'S motion, for simply passing to the
order of the day on WERNER'S motion, was rejected.
Noes, 213 ; Ayes, 197.