The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-02 00:00:00

office, and patronage, and emoluments, could be induced to
vote with the Minister and support his power, what
absurdity to throw blame on Lord Siamoir and
Mr. MASTERMAN ? All impartial men win rather ap-
plaud their conduct, and rejoice that the Whigs can forget
their political ties and prejudices, and that the 'l'.2ries can
sacrifice their party for the good of the country. This is the
commencement of rational government. When the inteests
of the people can swamp those of statesmen and place-hunters,
when Whigs and Tories can agree on the most important of
all questions—the welfare of the great body of the people—
without regard to class legislation, we may then rest satis-
fied that the fruits of the Reform Bill are beginning to be
felt, and that in due time it will accomplish those bright an-
ticipations to which in 1831 it gave rise.

()MOM A CORRESPONDENT.)
The " momentous question" is at length decided. The
great cause has triumphed gloriously. Monopoly has ex-
pired ! The fell monster received his death-blow in the first
speech of the Prime Minister, but his dying agonies have
been protracted, and painful to behold. For three weeks
the country has been kept in suspense, for twelve nights the
attention of the House has been wearied by profitless dis-
cussion. Twelve nights of party recriminations, answered
arguments, exploded fallacies, " never ending, still be-
gindir g"—" a dreary, hopeless, desultory war." Yet, as twelve
heavy, dull, flat copper pieces collectively form one bright
silver shilling, so these twelve nights se gloomy in them-
selves, together form a debate unequalled in interest and im-
portance. Yet even individually they were not wholly
gloomy; each night the darkness was made visible, by some
speech of superior sense or eloquence, which seemed perhaps
even more sensible or eloquent contrasted with the stupidity
and dulness of the rest. We had always a " speech of the
evening." We have seen the Minister come forward in a
nobler position than Minister ever held before, speaking
nobly of great principles, not empty subterfuges—of
a whole people, not a paltry faction; such a speech
alone would have redeemed a month's dull talking.
We have seen faithful and consistent men rejoicing in their
hour of triumph; and, better still, we have heard the glo-
rious confessions of those converted by their consciences.
On rare occasions, too, the speech of the evening " has been
delivered by protectionists, yet these displays have been
without effect. Even the genius of Mr, DISRAELI was un-
able to make " the worse appear the better pause." At
length the twelfth, the last, the greatest night arrived, and its
spa orb. like itself, put all the rest to shame. Whew,
was the speech of that evening? No, not even to him, the
;ustiring, the zealous advocate of free trade in its hour of
delmess--not even to the eloquent oration of Mr. COBDEN
must that merit be awarded. Behold the speech of the
evening;
.ttss) most brief, yet most comprehensive ever uttered
F- Monopoly

/or. ---
For Free Trade

Maj o7ft,Y 97
Majority for free trade, ma:,‘WitY for the people, for the poor
and the starving, for the wealthy :.ndustriotui; for industry—yes'
even for "British industry," that clues from too much kind-
ness, like the poor bird " protected "by its iron cage. Ah, but
this was a glorious majority I Well migh: the loud applause
resound at its anuouncement. The echoint; cannon that
welcomes a-royal infant is not so glorious as he living
thunder that hailed the advent of Free Trade. Aod not
alone within the House does that thunder resound ; not
alone does the Minister exult in his success the Leaguers
in their hard-won triumph. The cheers of Friday night are
echoed far and wide throughout the land ; they are
swelled by the melodious murmur of a suffer-
ing people's joy ; they are raised aloft on the
glad wings of certain hope ; they are answered
by a joyous voice across the water, as the ardent children of
the sister island rise at once from desolation to despair, and
the blue hills of Scotland, the nursing home if freedom, will
re-echs the triumph of free trade with a music all their own.
The universal exultation of the glorious moment, when the
decision of the House ratified the decision of the people, the
universal shout of triumph drowned the last faint groans of
the once proud despot, as protection] sunk to rise no more.
The weeping dukes may raise a monument to his memory,
while the country turns with gratitude to the
Minister who has achieved this triumph, and to the men
who enabled him to do so. It must have been a proud mo-
ment for Sir ROBERT PEEL when he found his power un-
diminished, though his party was broken. His party ? No,
his party is now the people ; and it mast have been a proud
moment for Mr. COBDEN, after years of patient, persevering
labours, after days of trouble and brief moments of defeat—
it must have been a proud moment for him to stand in the field
of victory, and for the last time to advocate a measure which
mainly through his instrumentality, should, in a few moments,
be- beyond the need of advocacy. His speech will be read
with deep and earnest attention; it is enough to say it was
worthy of " the hour and the man." Yet we cannot forbear
alluding to one of those unanswerable " facts" always to be
found in Mr. CosnaN's speeches. In alluding to the anxiety
the protectionists profess to feel for a dissolution, he showed
them how much the public opinion, which they braved, was
arrayed against them. " There are in this metropolis eighteen
members, and there are two for the metropolitan county.
We have the whole twenty—(lmmense cheering)—every one.
They represent 110,000 electors, they represent a population
of two millions of souls, the most intelhgent, the most
wealthy, the most orderly ; the hardest-working people in
England. Is that public opinion, think you ?—ls that pub-
lic opinion ? " This was really a cruel question, yet, happily
it required no answer. Mr. COBDEN thus concluded his
admirable discourse_:—

" We are on the eve of very great changes—(Loud cries of " hear,
hear" from the. protectionists.) :rut yourselves in a position that you
may participate in the work and keep others from doing mischief.
You belong to the race of the aristocracy—the aristocracy of hu-
man kind, not merely a privileged aristocracy, but an aristocracy of in-
tellect. I ask you to become the aristocracy of progress and im-
provement. We have given the world an example of great and
many virtues—we have given to others our trial by jury and our
representative system. The very rules and regulations of this House
have become models for every deliberate assembly in the civilised
world—(Hear, hear)—we have given to others the example of
a free press and civil and religious liberty—and free institu-
tions.—(Loud cheers.) Let us now set them another example
by making industry free, and giving all the countries of
the world their full adVantages of climate, latitude, and situa-
tion—the example of teaching them to buy in the cheapest markets,
and to sell in the dearest.--(Loud cheers.) And do you think there
as anything selfish in this-, or that it is at all discordant with Christian
principles.—(Hear, hear.) I will show you the highest behests of
Christianity for buying in the cheapest market, and selling in the
dearest, whieh is nothing more than going to a country where an
article is cheap because it is superabundant, and carrying it to
another where it is dear because it is scarce ; and in doing this you
aro only carrying out to its fullest extent the Christi= doctrine of
" doing unto others as you would wish to be done by."

The Madrid journals- of the 20th ult. are destitute of in-
tell,gence, but private =letters state that the new Cabinet is
not likely to act long- together in unison, and that some
other change is evidently at hand. The report is extremely
probable. The moderation of NAIIVAEZ was all feigned, and
we are much mistaken if this man rests -content till he is
again at the head of the Cabinet. -
The Three per Cents closed at 313 cash, and 32% at 60
days ; the Five per Cents. closed at 231-4 at 60 days.

The French Ministers have had another important di-
vision in the Chamber of Deputies in their favour, with a
very large majority. On Thursday the Chamber divided on
the Secret Service Money Bill, when there were—

For the Bill 220
Against it 5B
-162

Several of the Paris papers publish the details of the late
battles in India with brief comments, but-we find little in
them that can interest the reader. One of them, the
Presse, in adverting to the charges _larouglat against
Sir HENRY HA RDINGB for losing so many
men, and not being prepared with a larger
force to meet the Seikhs, says :—" In all sincerity it must be
declared that this motive is exceedingly slight in comparison
with those which public opinion has had in France for
blaming the Governor-General of Algeria. He also loses a
great number of men-=he also unceasingly demands re-
inforcements—but to arrive at what minks ?At victory ?
He does not even succeed in coming up with the enemy !
Our losses are without any compensation—even for oar self-
love. It will, therefore, be allowed that we have infi-
nitely more reason to complain and to blame than our
neighbours have."
The following letter, dated Toulon, Feb.2o, is published
in the National -
"Great military oper!tions -are about to take place in
Algeria. Orders have been received to send forward a sum
of 1,200,000 f. in specie to pay the army. The steam frigate
Labrador, which sailed -this day for 'Algiers, received on
board 600,000 f. in specie: It has been officially announced
here that the Duke d'Aumale is about to proceed to Algeria,
and orders have been gifen to prepare forthwith the steam
frigate the Albatross to receive his Royal Highness, who is
expected here on the 3d or 4th of the next month."
The Three per Cents. closed at 54f. 95c. ; the five per Cents.,
123 f. GOc. • the Orleans Railroad shares, 1,340 f.; Rouen, 1,075 f. ;
Havre, 7581.25 e.; Great Northers, 7851. ; Avignon, 1,0301. ; Vlerion,
752 f. 30c.; Bordeaux, 665 f. ; Boulogne, 552 f. 50c. • Troyes and
Montireau, 450 f.; Du ' Dude, 2551. ; Dieppe, 475 f. • Paris and Stras-
burg, 556 f. 25c. ; Tours and Nantes, 591 f. 25e.; Paris and Lyons
(Deflnitive), 6321. 58c.; Spanish Passives, 6%.
The following are the quotations for other lines

- --- -- - _
Lyons and Avignon (Definitive), 667 f. 50c. ; Bordeaux and
Cette (Mackenzie), 504 f.; ditto (Espeleta), 510 f. ; Caen (Delamarre),
502 f. 25c.; Charleroi, 494 f. 500. -
LYONS, Fos. 24.—Marsellles and Avignon, 1,015 f. ; Rouen, 1,047 f.
60c. ; Vierzon, 718 f. 75C.
111ISINESS DONE DT FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK JPECIIA.NGE, Flo. 27.
ilottlagne and Amiens, 11% —Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette
(Espeleta), 2r,(—Dutch Rhenish, 61i—Great /Foram* off Franse
Constituted, 163!
—Groat Western Bengal, '4—Luxembourg, 234
_-_-orleans and Vierzon, 19—Paris and Orleans, 51% —Paris and
Z.. ea. 41%—Roam mid Wavra, 30 —West Flanders, 4 % —Lyons and
Avignon, 2.

Lord Granville Somerset_ was absent from Saturday morn-
ing's division. It is generally runioured that he has resigned
his office.

The eleven Liberal Members voted in the
mino-
rity onfollowing y
(Tbirsk), Mr. E. S.Cayley,
satnrda
Mr. Drax, Mr. Gilbert Heatheote, Mr. E. Heneage, Mr. K.
Hoskins, Hon. H. Howard (Cricklade), Mr. R. H. Hurst,
Mr. T. B. Martin (Galway), Mr. R. B. Sheridan, Lord
Worsley.
me following are some of Sir Robert Peel's supporters who
have now for the first time deserted him, and are to be
found in the minority of
Sir Thomas Acland.
Lord Alford.
Mr. Thomas Baring,
Lord Barrington.
Lord Geerge Bentinck.
Captain Boldero.
Mr. Ludlow Bruges.
Lord Castlereagh.
Lord Chelsea.
Hon. Hugh Cholmnudeley.