The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-08 00:00:00

0 TAHEITE.

Thu following memorial to the King of the French, on
;he subject of Otaheite, has been numerously signed :
" TO HIS MAJESTY LOUIS PHILIPPE, KING OF THE
FRENCH.

" The Memorial of the undersigned Members of the
Baptist Church and Congregation assembling for
Divine Worship in South Parade, in Leeds, in the
county of York,
" Showeth—That your memorialists desire to ap-
proach your Majesty with the respect that is due to the
beloved monarch of a great and powerful nation. They
have heard with deep regret of the naval and military
proceedings of your Majesty's ships and soldiers in Ota-
heite, by which the Queen has been compelled to fly for
safety from her usual residence, many of the inhabitants
have been driven from their homes to the mountains and
fastnesses of the island, and the lives of multitudes of the
Otaheiteans and of your own subjects have been sacri-
ficed in battle. The woes of the past cannot be recalled,
but the woes anticipated in future, to a great extent,
may be prevented by your Majesty's prompt and ener-
getic interference. That interference will be highly
honourable to your Majesty, but the extermination of
the Otaheiteans would leave an indelible stain on the
history of your reign.
" Your memorailists beg leave to submit to your Ma-
jesty's attention _ _

"-First—That your Majesty has no right of dominion
in the island of Otaheite, because, supposing the treaty
on which your claim is founded to have been signed by
the Queen of Otaheite voluntarily without force or fear,
her Majesty has no right or authority to transfer her
sovereign power over the people to another, without
their full and free consent. Secondly—The establish-
ment of distant colonies, according to the practice of
European nations, by force, both in past and present
times, has been a frightful source of bloodshed, misery,
and crime, and is manifestly in opposition to the pre-
cepts and principles of Christianity, as taught in the
New Testament. _ _ _

"Your memorialists desire to explain that they do not
appeal to your Majesty through the ministers of our gra
cious Sovereign, because your protectorate of Otaheite
has been acknowledged by the government of this coun-
try, the validity of which we, as individuals, deny ; be-
cause our beloved country retains the sovereignty over
colonies which (like Otaheite) have been obtained by
force of arms, and which we consider one of our great
national sins; and, because diplomatists rarely appeal to
the principles of right as revealed in the Word of God,
but often to the physical force by which their appeals can
be enforced.

" Your memorialists, from the highest authority, know
that, whether men believe it or not, the Lord executeth
righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed;'
and, therefore, they entreat your Majesty to bring the
proceedings of your commanders, by sea and by land, in
Otaheite, under your own calm examination, on Chris-
tian principles, and to adopt such measures towards the
Queen and inhabitants of Otaheite (many of the latter
widows and orphans), as the great principle of doing to
others as we would that they should do to us, mani
festly points out for your Majesty's guidance.
" Your memorialists cordially wish your Majesty a
long, happy, and prosperous reign, that your throne
may be established in righteousness, and that when God
shall call you to resign your earthly crown it may be ex-
changed for an enduring crown of righteousnet's in the
mansions of eternal glory."—Leeds Mercury.

Verdi has nearly concluded his new opera, founded
upon Lord Byron's beautiful poem of " The Corsair."
It is composed expressly for her Majesty's Theatre, and
report speaks of the fragments which have become
known as the master-pieces of this most popular of
modern composers.
ALARMING f--VEST !—On Sunday evening last, as
the congregation of St. Peter's Chapel, Leeds, were de-
voutly engaged in religious exercises, they were all at
once frightened from their propriety by a dull rumbling
noise, followed by the crai,h of a heavy falling body. In-
stantly a cry arose of " The chapel's falling," and out
rushed men, women, and children, in the direst confu-
sion, and dismay. Vain were the expostulations of par-
son and precentor. No. I first, and religion after," was
the order of the night. One beloved brother, more
courageous than his fellows, stayed behind with the
.
preacher ; and, by the awful perils of the night
enticed the wandering sheep once more within the fold,
by joining the worthy preacher in a duet—" Praise God
from whom all blessings flow." The worthy and
courageous worshippers had been thus unceremoniously
driven from the house of prayer, by---a slip of snow !
WHo IS THE AUTHOR OF C2ESAR BORGIA ?"—The
curiosity evinced to ascertain who was the author of
" Whitefriars" has considerably increased since the pro-
duction of his new work " Caesar Borgia." On the pub-
lication of " Whitefriars," the Athenceum attributed the
authorship to Mr. Ainsworth, who immediately dis-
claimed it. It was then erroneously bestowed npon the
author of " Shakspeare and His Friends," and subie-
quently on Lord Ranelagh. The same desire of fixing
the paternity of this literary offspring appears to have been
very lately repeated by the editor of the Britannia, who
assigns the authorship to Mr. Charles Whitehead—on
very insufficient grounds, as has since been clearly esta-
blished ; and, lastly, the critic in the New Monthly Ma-
gazine is equally positive that the writer is a lady ! We
are authorised, however, to state that the work is from
no female pen, but we should recommend the real party
in the cause to put in an appearance, if he wishes to se-
cure a right to his own property.