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

4,111. k
AtIL

LONDON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1846.

Matters are jogging on with surprising quietude
at Madrid ; but this very tranquillity in the Spanish
metropolis during the preliminary movements of such
an unpalatable ceremonial as that of the Gallic mar.
riage with the heir presumptive to the throne of her
Most Catholic MAJESTY, is more ominous than the
most tumultuary blustering. It is the delusive pause
before the national tempest. Spanish blood has not
so degenerated, Spanish hearts are not so phlegmatic,
Spanish pride is not so eradicated, that their wishes
may be violated with impunity, especially after they
have been so significantly avouched. The descend-
ants of the CID cannot permit themselves to be bearded
to the teeth by any foreign plenipotentiary, however
plausible, without evinciiag that fanatical self-exalta-
tion for which they have been during so many heroic
centuries remacrkable. Self-respect still survives
in Spain, despite the mutations of autho-

rity, the vicissitudes of social organisation, and
the encroachments of a spurious regeneration.
Count DE BRESSON must not, therefore calculate upon
the infinitely protracted acquiescence of the Spanish
multitude in those diplomatic machinations by which
he is endeavouring to joia together, with the matrimo-
tial knot, the disjuncted branches of the Bourbon
family, the younger and the elder. Although during
the state pageantry which, on the 25th instant con-
ducted the French Ambassador into the presence of
Queen CHRISTINA and her two royal daughters, al-
though throughout the progress of this representative
through the thoroughfares of the Peninsular capital
the utmost order prevailed among the spectators, and
no indications of public disapprobation presented
themselves, there is less cause for gratulations than
in the event of a partial emeute.
The principal question for consideration in this
extraordinary affair is, whether the Spanish people
are rejoiced or enraged at the prospect of the Mont-
pensier alliance ? Upon that question is balanced
the futurity of the Peninsula. Upon the settlement
of that question rests the prospective tranquillity or
disturbance of Spain—the submission to foreign do-
mination, or the preservation of a venerable and
glorious nationality.
No conjectures whatever can be formed with any
degree of security as to the sentiments entertained by
a community upon any matter connected with them-
selves collectively, except by an assiduous investiga-
tion of a thousand minute and collateral circum-
stances. The inhabitants of those eastern provinces
of the Peninsula, which are designated in the aggre-
gate Spain, have not yet acquired sufficient muni-
cipal and constitutional freedom, they are not
sufficiently emancipated from the manacles of feu-
dality, they arel not indeed sufficiently im-
pressed with a deep craving for the blessings of.
political independence, to arise simultaneously, as the
electors of this country would unquestionably do,
supposing any foreign Cabinet had the temerity to
encroach upon the prerogatives of the Crown or to
battle with the dearest prejudices of the population.
Nevertheless, it is possible to discern the partialities
or antipathies of such a people as the Spaniards
despite their subjection to the majesty of the Govern-
ment. Are the Spanish people, then, rejoiced or
enraged at the proposed marriage of their Princess
with the Duc DE MONTPENSIER f Those who have
watched the intelligence which has arrived from that
European territory since that proposition was first
announced will find the answer to that inquiry
obvious. The most brazen effrontery cannot find in
itself the moral intrepidity to maintain that the
Spaniards have given any indication of pleasure at
the advancement of this Orleans suitor. Unless the
rebellious declarations of newspapers—unless the
general fabrication of protests—unless the sullenness
of the citizens of Madrid on the appearance of the
Court dignitaries—unless the universal execration of
Afrancesados and "Gabachos"—unless the mobbing
of inoffensive postilions and tailors—unless the groans
of indignation uttered, even in Congress, can be re-
garded as testimonies of national exultation, we must
regard the proposition from the Cabinet of Louis
PHILIPPE as the subject of Spanish abhorrence.

Although the English Government has been de-
rided for its being " entrapped" by the cunning of
French diplomacy, and although our representative
at Madrid was declared by the National to have been
"juggled like a nut," we can see no reason for de
ploring the recent conduct of our Ministry. The
refusal of Great Britain to advance any candidate,
her generous reliance upon the honesty and good
faith of her allies, the calm but emphatic protests
entered at Madrid and Paris by Mr. BULWRE and
Lord NORMANDY, every circumstance in this else-
where discreditable transaction, redounds to the
honour, the dignity, and the generosity of
England. We maintain this, notwithstanding the howl
of derision raised against our Government by a syco-
phantic press in the French metropolis. We maintain
it, in contradiction to the whining lamentations of
many among our insular journalists. While the
other Cabinets implicated in this underhand negotia•
tion are tarnished by its many humiliating charac-
teristics, the Cabinet of St. James's remains
untarnished, and is raised to a still loftier
position by comparison. " Weak Governments
protest, but powerful ones act," is the snarling and
insidious jeer uttered by L'Epoque. Can anything
be more contemptible than this endeavour to scoff a
great nation into warfare ? Is it not the misprision
of all constitutional dignities ? Much worthier is the
language uttered a few mornings since by another
Parisian print. "It is not without some feelings of
humiliation," says the National, " that we see our-
selves compelled to witness a family, a secondary in-
terest, take the place of great interests, agitate
Europe, and threaten France with some fresh degra-
dation." Had France acted with as much wisdom
and candour in her foreign policy as England, the
affairs of the Peninsula would not be plunged into
their present lamentable state of confusion ; nor
would royal and ambassadorial honour have been so
grievously compromised.

When Lord JOHN RUSSELL last stood as a candi-
date for the representation of the city of London,
consequent upon his acceptance of the Premiership,
he alluded, in his address to the electors, in very ge-
neral terms, to the cardinal points of reformation
which he thought it incumbent on the new Govern-
ment to promote, in every way, to the best of their
united abilities. lie singled out the peculiar posi-
tion of Ireland, the state of the criminal law, the
dearth of general education, the defects of the law as
affecting the sanatory condition of the 'people,
and announced, that upon these several matters
the collective energy of the Administration
would be bestowed, with a view to the introduction of
most comprehensive measures for the amelioration,
political and social, of the great nation whose inte-
rests his Lordship had been called on to preside over
and prosper. More important subjects than those
recapitulated in the Premier's address, to which we have
adverted, could not have been selected, and we be-
lieve that nothing more than this selection for future
legislation, especially when viewed in unison with
the high credentials for wisdom and integrity which
were stamped upon his political life, caused the coun-
try to hail with satisfaction the elevation of his Lord-
ship to the highest post in the service of his SOVEREIGN.
Whenever a change of Government takes place the
public, by prescriptive usage, as it were, look
for the enunciation, from the fresh holders of
office, of some specific objects, in contradistinction to
those which have been more markedly favoured by
their predecessors. It has frequently happened that,
to minister to the gratification of this customary ex-
pectation, new Administrations have prominently
put forward declarations to which they were either
themselves indifferent, or were well aware must result
in disappointment. The field, howaver, which Lord
J. RUSSELL carved out for the especial labours of
hinself and his coadjutors, was not only new, in
the sense of being laid open to public view under
the influential auspices of a Government, but it was
one to which the records of Parliament attest that
Lord JOHN had devoted his mind, long before there
was any prospect of his Lordbhip's assuming the head
of affairs.

During Sir R. PEEL'S public rule Lord Jou?'
brought forward, 'in the House of Coat none, a
string of resolutions, declaratory of the neglected
condition of the humbler classes in many respects,
and of the duty of Parliament to legislate for their
wants—sanatory, educational, and moral. Sir JAMES
GRAHAM moved the previous question ; and, by a
large majority, the sound and judicious counsels of

the noble mover were for the time effectively shelved.
Nevertheless, at the first feasible opportunity, Lord
JOHN made known to his admirers and Great
Britain at large, the, with the possession of power,
he would not be unmindful of the pripciples of
social reform which he had advocated at the head of
a distracted and enfeebled opposition; and with his
Lordship's sincerity in this respect the citizens of
London, in their electoral capacity, were the first to
be made acquainted. The advanced period of the
session when Sir R. PEEL resigned, the multifarious
business that stood over, and required to be first dis-
posed of before the prorogation could take place, was
more than enough to engross the attention of the
Administration up to the commencement of the recess.
The public, then, have been necessarily contented to
have their hopes deferred till the re-assembling of
Parliament.

It is, nevertheless, a source of satisfaction to turn to
what transpired atthe inauguration dinner °Abe Sheriffs