The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-16 00:00:00

teltill 111 -=---• Ult.

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1846.

' The triumphant return of the Right Hon. THOMAS
BABINGTON MACAULAT, as the representative of the
city of Edinburgh, is a consummation of that inte-
resting election which cannot create the slightest
astonishment. A love for civil and religious liberty
has penetrated too deeply into the popular heart to be
eradicated by a sickly puff of fanaticism : the pro-
priety, not to say the common justice of the endow-
ment which has so stirred up the bile of certain ultra-

religionists is too indisputable a fact to be over-
whelmed by the prejudices of a feeble minority. Sir
CULLING E. SMITE has discovered himself to have
been the victim of an enormous delusion. He
erroneously conceived that he was unfurling a gon-
falon before the citizens of the Scotch capital, when
the symbol of his principles of opposition was nothing
more than the fly-leaf of a halfpenny tract. It is
hardly credible that any candidate should have been
entered against Mr. 3lAceuLer upon a plea so sin-
gularly vexatious ; and the adventure partakes more
of the characteristic of rashness, because of the conso-
nance which has hitherto prevailed without interrup-

tion between the political and religious sentiments
of that constituency and the Paymaster of her
MAJESTY'S Forces. Perhaps, however, we should rather
congratulate ourselves upon the circumstance of this
antagonism, since through its intervention another
most signal victory has been elicited in favour of
liberality. Perhaps we should rejoice at the appear-
ance of the rejected candidate upon the hustings, be-
cause by that interposition his successful opponent is
"set off" as by a foil. Nothing, indeed, could be
more gratifying than the manner in which this
pseudo-contest has been brought to a conclusion. Upon
the final close of the poll one thousand seven hundred
and thirty-fire votes are found to have been registered
for Mr. T. B. MACAULAY ; eight hundred and thirty-
two only for Sir C. E. SMITE, confirming the elec-
tion of the former by a majority of nine hundred and
three. More than double the number of electors
were, therefore, polled in favour of the Ministerial
candidate above those who supported his antagonist.
That is but natural, considering the uniform affec-
tion of the Edinburgh population to the most compre-

hensive and the most generous of political policies—
it is but natural, considering the candour with which
Mr. MAcktmAy's genius and his integrity are there
appreciated—it is but natural, considering that a
career of judicious and popular legislation, and a
mind gifted with the most splendid abilities, was op-
posed merely upon the irritation of a single class,
merely upon the warp of a single measure, merely
upon the questionable character of a single act of
legislative charity ! We will dispassionately concede
that every individual inimical to the nomination of
Mr. MAceurar was actuated solely by motives the
most conscientious—we will grant this much, nay we
will go so far as to believe it ; nevertheless everything
proves those 832 persons to have been mistaken in so
thinking. The verdict of the national jury has been
given against them-1,735 individuals out of their
own constituency have proclaimed their bugbears to
be altogether illusory. And, as though in confirma-
tion of that announcement, Mr. 11.AcAuLAT, in re-
turning his acknowledgments and congratulations to
the electors, has declared that he believes his now
triumphant cause to be " the cause of true religion."

He' believes it to be the cause of true religion !
An intellect so keen in the perception of a truth,
and so analytical in the scanning of a sentence,
would never celebrate the realisation of his Par-

1 liamentary hopes by the utterance of a pare-
! -lox ! Nevertheless, Sir C. E. SMITH and his
adherents assert their conviction that the policy of
theb new Paymaster of the Forces is not only detri-
me+lltal to the interests of the Established Church,
bu 1 is subversive of all religion. These conflicting
opi ions have been submitted to the decision of the
`en anchised citizens of Edinburgh, and by an ac-
co ance of more than taro to one the views of Mr.

‘I4CAULAY have been sanctioned. That approval is
remarkable triumph for the world-wide doctrine of
mvil and religious liberty, and this not so much from
man and the principle involved in its con-
'lderation, as from the fact of that victory having been
Aieved in the northern metropolis. It will be wel-
041ed with alacrity throughout the country, and will

eti as a salutary lesson both in England, Ireland,
l tland, and Berwick-upon-Tweed. MACAULAY is
r o rthy of Edinburgh, and Edinburgh of MACAULAY.

;One of those horrible occurrences that shock and
dltrage every feeling of humanity has recently taken
ce in the immediate vicinity of the metropolis, and
i terminated in the death of the unfortunate victim

military severity, and of one of the remnants of a

--,.barous and inhuman code. Although every exer-
ti4n appears to have been used for the purpose of
k4eping the revolting transaction from the know-
leige of the public, yet, owing to the
Piomptitude of Inspector LAWRENCE, of the
T division of police, and of Mr. BRENT, the
Cn-oner's summoning officer for Heston, it has been
made the subject of an inquiry before the Co-
nner, which, under any circumstances, must be pro-
dictive of much benefit; for if the circumstances con-
nt)cted with the case have been unduly exaggerated,
tte feelings of horror and indignation that now affect
aid disturb the minds of the public will be
abpeased and mitigated; or, if they have been
thily stated, and the revolting and bruta-
lising features should be found to exist, we
di,abt not that the feeling will become universal, and
tliat the voice of public opinion will so loudly de-
''sand the abolition of corporeal punishment, as to
c,..use its total and speedy abolition.
It appears that a private soldier of the 7th Hus-
-B,,t.rs, named FREDERICK WHITE, has recently been
7ogged at Hounslow Barracks for some viola-
ton of military discipline ; that after the in-
„Liction he was removed to the hospital of
the barracks, where he died on Saturday last.
No mention, however, was made made of the trans-
action, and he was to have been buried yesterday,
without any inquiry into the circumstances by which
his death was occasioned. Owing to the vigilance of
the persons we have already mentioned, the burial
was stopped, and a jury were yesterday even-
ing irnpanelled before Mr. WAiLar to investi-
gate the cause of his death. The inquest
was adjourned until some day in the course of the
ensuing week, in order to afford an opportunity to
the friends of the unfortunate young man, to whom,
it appeared, no notice whatever hadbeenogf ible'einngofthe
inquiry, or even of his melancholy end,
pre-
sent and watching the proceedings, and also to have
i and to give time to
thea
mseedviecraall
m witnessesan,
unconnected in attendance
wth the
army, to
see and examine the body—precautions, which the
secresy observed and the frightful appearance of
the body, rendered prudent and necessary. It is
said that the back, from the nape of the neck
to the loins, presented a deep purple appear-
ance, and that a large piece of flesh, nine inches
one way and eight inches another, had been cut
away from the middle of the back, where the
greatest inflammation had manifestly been. We
shall, for the present, refrain from any com-
ment on the foregoing statement, as it has
been made the subject of judicial inquiry,
which will, doubtless, be conducted in the most
stringent and efficient manner. If, however, it
should appear that the death was in any manner
occasioned or even hastened by the flogging, a
serious responsibility will fall on those who attempted
to keep the facts concealed, and to hasten the funeral,

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as t eh de
s vt;,`bin the power of a commanding officer,
dmrei ia;n,
will be found amply sufficient to preserve the necessary
discipline, and to procure the proper discharge of
the regimental duties by the soldiers. In many of
the regiments that are so fortunate as to be placed
under the command of humane officers, the lash, with
all its degrading incidents, has been practically abo-
lished, and yet as full and efficient a control has been
kept up, and a better and happier soldiery
bear testimony to the efficacy of the milder rule.
The man who has once been brought to the triangles
is ever after rendered useless as a soldier; there is not
a single instance of such a man afterwards redeeming
his character and conducting himself well. The iron
has entered into his soul, he feels that he has
been degraded beneath the rank of a man
before the eyes of his comrades. No longer can he
entertain the proud feeling which would in-
duce him to attempt the zealous' discharge of
his duties, and thereby to raise himself in
the good opinion of his officers and companions, and
thus to obtain the promotion which it might be rea-
sonable for him to hope for ; his heart has been
more severely tortured by the stripes than his body ;
he becomes reckless, and seeks forgetfulness in the
baneful vice of intoxication. A nuisance to his corps,
he is at last, perhaps, driven from it in disgrace to
misery and destitution. Surely, it is not in
such a manner that British subjects, our fellow-
countrymen, who have taken upon themselves the
most arduous duties, who have yielded up a portion
of their liberties for the public protection, should be
treated.

Much has lately been said of the necessity of im-
proving the barracks, and the condition and comforts
of the soldier—of affording to him the blessings of
education, and raising him in the social scale. The
example of other nations has been adduced to us,
and the valuable results that have followed in
every instance where such a course was
adopted have been pointed out and commented upon,
and we fully and entirely agree with what has been
urged, and think that it is imperatively demanded at
our hands, not only by considerations of policy, but of
common justice. Let, however, the first improvement
be the abolition of flogging ; let not the mere whim
of a heartless and cruel commander be suffered to
blast every prospect, and to degrade the gallant
soldier, perhaps for some trivial and insignificant
offence, or breach of regulations. How can you ex-
pect the man with any degree of education, with any
moral pride, or manly feeling, to enter into
the ranks where such humiliation, such degradation is
possible ? It cannot be; you must remove the disgrace.
Let it not be said that the British army is so demo-
ralised, so insensible to every better feeling, that they
can only be governed by the intervention of the lash.
Whatever may be the degree of blame attachable to
any party in the present instance, we sincerely hope
that an earnest effort will be made on behalf of our
military brethren, and that such practices may no
longer be sanctioned under the British flag.

A letter from Rome, dated July 2d, published in
the Augsburgh Gazette, states that the Porn the day
before went on foot, accompanied only by a few pre-
lates and some Swiss soldiers, to the church of the
Salesian nuns, where the festival of the Visitation was
being celebrated. The inhabitants of Rome were
surprised to see the POPE walking through the
streets, a circumstance which had not been witnessed
since the days of Pope GANGANELLI. His HOLINESS
on his return was received with great enthusiasm, and
the acclamations of the crowd increased when he
condescended to receive a petition presented to him
by a poor man. On the Ist of July, the six car-
dinals, LAMBRUSCMINI, BERNETTI, AMAT, GIZZI,
MATTE', and Mecni, met to deliberate, and the POPE
submitted the following questions for examination :
First—How and in what manner should an amnesty
be granted ? Secondly—ln what way can the public
debt be paid off? Thirdly—Would it be prudent to
discharge the foreign troops ? Fourthly—Would it
be better for the Administration to possess one or two
Secretaries of State ? Deputations daily arrived from
all parts with addresses of congratulation to the
POPE. It was stated that the scientific men of Rome
would this year be permitted to be present at the
Scientific Congress at Genoa, and that the Congress
would be celebrated next year at Rome ; the system
of public instruction would be modified, and the cen-
sorship less severe,particularly on scientific matters.
The expedition to the interior of Africa, projected
by the late Pope, is now organised. It consists of
Monsignor CASOLANI, recently appointed bishop,
Father RYLLO, Dr. KNOBLOCHER, and ANGELO
VINcO. The last two were to leave Rome on the
2d of July, and to traverse Africa from Abyssinia to
Senegambia, and from Congo to the Barbary States.
CASOLANI and RYLLO are to leave Rome in No-
vember, to proceed to Egypt, and from thence en-
deavour to penetrate into the interior of Africa.
The Courrier de Marseille publishes a letter from
Rome of the sth, stating that the POPE having re-
ceived information that some young men from Bo-
logna had been ordered to return to the city, because
some sonnets and satires upon the Papal Government
had been found in one of their trunks, has desired
that the order should be revoked, and expressed great
anger at this infringement of personal liberty for so
slight a cause.

The Cologne Gazette states that letters have been
received from Warsaw, which state that during his
recent visit to that city, the Emperor NICHOLAS an-
nounced his intention of immediately proclaiming the
abolition of slavery throughout his dominions. It
appears from these letters that the EMPEROR, during
his stay at Warsaw, frequently perambulated the
streets, and visited the public places without guards
or attendants.

According to the Journal of Frankfort, there will
be a meeting of provincial deputies held at Berlin
early in 1847, to consider a proposition for reforming the
present mode of taxation, and for the discussion of vari-
ous financial questions which will be submitted to them.

Madrid papers of the 9th have arrived.
The Clamor Publico states, that during his stay in
Paris, the Infante Don ENRIQUI received visits at
his hotel from M. GUIZOT and from M. ODILoN
13.11.1010 T.

These papers contain intelligence from Lisbon to
the 3d instant.

In the Diario of that day is a dispatch from the
Civil Governor of Vizen, announcing the com-
plete restoration of tranquillity in the province
of Tras-os-Montes. A Spanish transport, with
286 soldiers on board, had arrived at Lisbon
on the 2d. She had left Ferrol for the West
Indies, but the soldiers had mutinied, and forced the
captain to convey them to Lisbon.
MADRID BOLSA, JULY 9. The Three per Cents. were
done on the Madrid Bourse at 33 cash; the Five per Cents.,
at 203/4 ditto; the Passives at 6,i ditto; the Shares of
the Bank of San Fernando, at 338 , and those of Isabel,
at 200.