The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-06 00:00:00

under the notice of the House of Lords one or
two cases of what he described as gross cor-

ruption.
The Marquis of NORMANBY requested their
Lordships to suspend their judgment, till he had
communicated with Mr. NICHOLLS, the Poor-law
Commissioner, on the subject.
The Duke of WELLINGTON could hardly be
persuaded to wait, and instantly gave notice of a
motion for Monday, but at the request of the
Marquis of NORMANBY postponed it till Thurs-
day. The Duke said he was greatly disappointed
at the working of the Poor-law iii Ireland ; the
notion of making it the basis of an exended fran-
chise has evidently disturbed the Tory Lords.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH denounced the proceed-
ings as a gross breach of privilege, for the official
and private letters for the use of the House con-
tradicted each other. The Returns moved for by
Lord GLENGALL were ordered, and their Lord-
ships adjourned to Monday .
We presume the matter, whenever it comes to
be dismissed, will afford a nice subject for a most
extensive party debate.
In the Commons the Nottingham Gas Bill
was read a second time after a division.
Lord SANDON obtained leave of absence for
Mr. CRESSWELL, and for him gave notice
that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman would re-
new his motion with regard to Danish claims
after Easter.
Mr. O'CONNELL is to move that Ireland be ex-
empted from the operation of Mr. LABou-
CHERB'S Railway Bill.
On Monday Lord J. RUSSELL is to move for
leave to bring in a Bill to amend the criminal law.
In reply to Mr. O'CONNELL, Lord PAL-
MERSTON stated that the treaty with Texas
was a general commercial treaty, and contained
no provision to secure the entrance into Texas
of British subjects, being free persons of colour,
such persons being prohibited to enter Texas.
In answer to Sir R. PEEL, Mr. LABOUCHERE
promised to consider whether he would refer the
Railways Bill to a Select Committee, as one
clause was complained of by Railway Compa-
nies; but both Right Hon. Gentlemen stated that
if the Railway Companies who petitioned for
that, did it only to gain time, they should oppose
any 6uch plan.

On the motion for bringing up the Report on
Lord KEANE'S Annuity Bill, Mr. HUME moved
that it be postponed till the correspondence be-
tween the Government and the East India Com-
pany, relative to Lord KEANE'S service, be laid
before the House. The Hon. Member wished to
have the annuity paid by the East India Com-
pany.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL opposed Mr. HUME'S
motion, which on a division was lost by 127 to
85. The Report was brought up, and the Bill
ordered to be read a third time on Monday.
The East India Rum Duties Bill was com-
mitted pro forma to introduce some alterations
into it.

On the Order of the Day for going into a Com-
mittee of Supply,

Mr. O'BRIEN referred to our uneasy relations
with the United States, and expressed an opinion
that if we had a strong fleek within reach of the
American ports, it would be better than to
have a strong force on the frontier.

Mr. EWART saw no reason for anticipating
hostilities ; he relied on the good sense and inte-
rest of the inhabitants of the United States, and
he trusted our unhappy differences would be
amicably terminated.

Mr. HuMz deprecated war in strong terms,
and asked for information, although none was
given.

The silence of the Ministers on this important
topic is of no pleasant augury.
The House went into a Committee of Supply,
and a considerable number of the Navy Esti-
mates were voted. Some interesting conversa-
tion took place on a number of subjects. We
shall only mention that Lord JOHN RUSSELL,
in answer to a question, stated that a monument
is to be erected to Sir SYDNEY SMITH ; and Sir
JAMES DUKE gave notice that he should move
that a monument be also erected to Lord
ExmOUTII.

Mr. MAcAtn.Ay moved the Army Estimates,
which he explained in a business-like manner.
One item will be considered by the public, as we
considered it, curious : a vote of 5001. for interest
on deposits in Savings Banks, of which soldiers
could avail themselves. That may make them
careful and sane persons. Notwithstanding the
exhortation of the Times to increase the army we
are glad to learn' that the charge for the present
year is only 10,0001. less than last year for the
effective service.

Mr. HUME regretted our disturbed relations
with Europe, the great expense caused thereby,
and recommended a property tax.
Sir H. HARDINGE thought the Estimates did
not go far enough, and spoke as if he had written
the leader in the Times yesterday on the sub-
ject. An addition of 5,800 men would, he said,
give satisfaction to the army.
Lord J. RusstLL thought, of course, that the
number was exactly right, lying between the
parsimony of Mr. HumE and the extravagance
of the Gallant General. The Noble Lord justi-
fied keeping our forces up to their present foot-
ing by the state of foreign countries, and of our
Colonies.

In the course of 'the discussion which ensued,
Lord CARDIGAN'S case was brought under the
notice of the House by Mr. HUME. Lord
HOWICK insisted strongly on the necessity of an
inquiry, and pointed out that the Commander-
in-Chief was not free from blame.

An interesting conversation ensued. Severa
of the votes were agreed to, and the House re-
sumed.

Colonel SIBTHORP gave notice that he would
call the attention of the House to the appoint-
ment of Mr. VIZ ARD as Solicitor to the Home
Department.

The House adjourned at Twenty Minutes be.
fore One o'Clock till Monday.

Tory statesmen appear to act as if prejudice
deprives them of intellect. They are the unre-
fleeting slaves of an incorrect theory. We
have no hope of awakening in them a due sense
of their degradation, but we may, perhaps, be
able to convince others how despicable in point
of comprehension Tory statesmen really are. At
least, if a stupid and besotted adherence to a
System,_ which is every day demonstrated to be
false, of wishing one thing and effecting the op-
posite, of labouring to bring about contrary and
incompatible ends, be proofs of a thorough want
of comprehension, we shall be able to fix that on
Tory statesmen.
What is now one of their cries ? The priests
have too much influence in Ireland. What has
ling been one of their greatest lamentations? The
influence of the Catholic priesthood.
they What do
in ta'aste-liaotti.letitite power t, and out of Par-
r ofnoin
thee
liament ?
complain of
the increase
re
What do they and their scribes say impedes
improvement in Ireland ? The spiritual influ-
ence of the priesthood. What, if such be their
opinions, should rational men do? Everything in
their power tolessen
guard
from spiritual influence.
Statesmen acrd legislators
from evil. They make laws against
the people
taoc
cpiid•eevnetns totnh
railways
lewoapyl es froth
have
being
l o
iandjuinrgedc.oacAhyees,w
superintendence of the Government, to ensure
given rise to a new law, to place them under the
the safety of the limbs of
Public-houses are closed at an
earlytlle liheoguers;
fairs have been suppressed, bull-score of other pursuits have been put down,
,
ofo
dinwng and a
for
the purpose of keeping the grown babies which
constitute the public from coining to harm. Ac-
cording to the outcry of the Tories the influence
of the Romish priesthood corrupts the minds and
souls of the people, and is infinitely more inju-
rious than gin, bull-baiting, or fairs. Against that
noxious influence, then, on all the principles pro-
fessed by the Tories, it is their duty to guard
the people. They should protect them against
priestcraft, as against a deadly enemy. They
should warn them against the priests, admonish
them to steel their hearts against spiritual seduc-
tion and spiritual terror, and should at least take
as much care of their minds as their bodies.
Now let us see how the Tories do this. Suppose
that the Legislature, while it passed laws against
drujakauies,s, should coafine them to getting

drunk on gin ; and suppose, while it fretted and
fumed, and made new enactments every Ses-
sion, because the people would drink that parti-
cular spirit, it should praise and reward those
who get drunk on brandy ; suppose that it should
endow a house for the sale of brandy in every
street, cause it to be supplied duty free, release
it from all rent and taxes, pay charming young
women to wait on the customers, hire persons in
the press to write up the delights of brandy-
drinking, carry the crown in solemn state to the
opening of every new brandy shop, take care to
mark all those as disreputable who do not go at
least once every week to these patronised
places ;—suppose the Legislature to do all
this—would any man say that it took the best
method to prevent drunkenness? But is not this
strictly analogous to what it has done, and what
the Tories insist on its doing more and more ex-
tensively, to guard the people of Ireland against
the spiritual influence of the priesthood ? Do
they not denounce most vehemently what we
may call the spiritual gin drinking of the Ro-
manists, and patronise to an extravagant
degree the brandy guzzling of the Establishment?
Do they not, while they say the influence of one
priesthood is most pernicious, exert themselves
to the uttermost to establish the influence of an-
other ? Can such epithets as " Romish" or " Pro-
testant" make any difference in the nature and
character of the influence ? No. The influence is
the same in both cases, obtained by the same means
used to the same ends, used by similar men
for similar objects, and the inconsequent ignorant
Tories do continually exert themselves to create
that frame of mind in the people which they at
the same time proclaim to be rhost mischievous.
They know not what they do.
Of course, we speak of the Tories as statesmen,
not as individuals ; and whatever may be their
faith or their hopes as individuals, as states-
men they confine their exertions to public wel-
fare on earth. Political communities are not
promised immortality. There is no reason to
suppose that France, England, and Russia
will be revived beyond the grave. The Tories,
therefore, cannot, and do not patronise the
Establishment, and denounce the Romish priest-
hood, with any view or expectation of securing
the eternal happiness and greatness of the nation.
Their object is of a more earthly character.
Their ambition rather creeps on the surface of
the glebe than soars into the sky. They pa-
tronise the Establishment to secure political ob-
jects. It is associated with Tory principles. It
preaches Tory doctrines. It forms a spiritual po-
lice for the circulation of Toryism. It is an as-
sistant instrument for enslaving the mind, and
securing the dominion of political charlatans;
and hence the Tories, who, by a series of blun-
ders, have been brought themselves into conflict
with Popery, with which they have a natural affi-
nity, zealously support the Establishment, and
decry Romanism. •
The palpable limitation of the duties of states-
men to promote the present and earthly happi-
ness of the subject people, of course confines all
their duties, in relation to a Church Establish-
ment, to within the same narrow bounds. Whe-
ther a religion be true or false, whether a creed
will secure life hereafter or not, is, in relation to
their duties to the people, of infinitely less impor-
tance than whether or not it promote the public
welfare. In fact, they do not now support one
religion in preference to another, because it will
secure immortality, but because it will increase
the national happiness. The old plan of estab-
lishing truth by law, or by the sword, was
descredited as Mahomedanism went to de-
cay. The Tories object much more to the
political principle of a divided allegiance
belonging to Popery, than to the falsehood of
its creed. They want men to be heart and soul
their slaves, and they arc equally inimical to
Dissent and Popery. They hate both, because
those whom they claim as theirs receive from
any religion, which is not the Establishment, and
which is not in union with the Government,
another master. The political attributes of
Dissent verging to republicanism, and the po-
litical attributes of Romanism promoting obe-
dience to a spiritual superior, and not the
truth or falsehood of Popery and Dissent, are the
only grounds on which Tory statesmen, claim-
ing something like unlimited power for the
Crown, object to these divergent branches of
Christianity.

( _
This limitation of the duty of statesmen in re-
lation to religious establishments, clears the
ground for a due appreciation of the utility of the
latter. That is, however, much too large a ques-
tion now to discuss. We shall confine ourselves
to observing, that it must be proved that they
now promote—not that they promoted in past
times, which may be conceded—the morality
of the people, the civilization of society, the se-
curity and protection of men's rights, the exten-
sion of freedom, and the increase of wealth and
population. If they do not effect these, the great
objects which circumscribe the duties of states-
men, they must not be upheld. Our readers can
apply these principles for themselves. We
agree with the Tories that the spiritual
terrors wielded by the Romish and other

priesthoods, are most pernicious, but they
will not agree with us, that as long as legislators
take care of the bodies of the people, it must
also be their duty to guard the minds of the peo-
ple from the influence of priestcraft. Before
they support or extend religious establishments,
they must learn correctly to appreciate their
public utility, and discountenance the error that

any priesthood is endowed with power to pro.
mote the welfare of society, or secure the titer.
nal happiness of individuals.

The short episode on the Cardigan affair in
the debate last evening, is but another proof
that the present House of Commons does not re-
present the feelings of the country. Mr. HUME,
in his usual straightforward manner, brought the
subject before the House, and called upon the
Secretary-at-War for some explanation ; when
up started Mr. MACAULAY (and some eight or
ten more were in breathless haste to do the
same), highly indignant that a " topic of such
violent irritation should have been brought for-
ward," and determined to throw his shield over
Lord CARDIGAN, because, like BURKE and HARE,
he had been hissed and hooted by the public.
The Noble Lord will, no doubt, consider it strange
that his defender should pronounce his name in
the same breath• with such monsters, and the
public will think it equally strange that one of
her MAJESTY'S Ministers should urge, as an ex-
cuse for not dismissing or reprimanding Lord
CARDIGAN, the very strong and general indigna-
tion excited throughout the country by his over-
bearing and tyrannical conduct. On the same
plea Bisnop and WILLIAMS, and all that class
who have had the misfortune to be the objects of
universal hatred, ought to have escaped. But Mr.
MACAULAY is no less unfortunate in hisarguments
than in his comparisons. He contends that Lord
CARDIGAN should not have been tried,becauseLord
HILL was opposed to such a step, and he should not
have been put on half-pay for, half-pay never
should be made a punishment, thereby im-
apwauhtgohno_
had
Ili gttly
ot hoheeee judgmentpunischoends
iotdhfeertehsdae
e-aerra ym oindividualamanparamount,
haofi
for
btaardy-taernt-Wilearr,' a'
xe
riedbiaaidms thecond lutuct
igbht
Hon.lacin gl-iir
on the half-payr
list. " While I yplacing
remain
Gen-
,Secre-
tleinan "it shall not be thus perverted." The
epduiN)vlii
ethufnitttlisiohoeu
sly
speech altogether was in the worst possible taste.
Nlvthßobmolltnhde
flattery of Lord HILL,
blame—its object
and Chartist have CARDIGAN
as mu, lomifitmth t
toNilVceohaii
igasi
rnads
Tory,to screenand Lordßadical,
uded w
de-
nounced, and justly denounced,n
had been the loudest
smu anni
iao
nr etghianti ent
those;and h iot
clamouring against the Government would ad-
mit them to have been in the right. Next came
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who called the charges
acnAdR,DIGAN had been attacked boecfatuistee
standing up boldly for his order
HUSSEY VIVIAN came next
e
eninifgvAtThHeENfinding
and
isiafrivolous,
Lordasa
on that occasion ; and the
Peer ! Sir
ing Lord CARDIGAN
Court
-martial
ndcenapoutani
If
last great gun was Sir HA RDINGE, who went far •
beyond all his predecessors, and gravely urged that
terms
Lord CARDIGAN could not live on good
with his officers, because he supposed they had
" he had met
libelled him. Unfortunate man,