The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-28 00:00:00

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- • '74
TO THE SECRETARY Or/ :TRE'' 1/
BRADFORD REFORM AssocriTiox.
Sir,—The reference to Sir Robert Pe'el's speech_'
was misplaced. It was in the debate of Tuesday the r,
22d, on the Expenditure, that Sir RobeTt said,[l-3AO-
- looking at what is passing in our extended em-
pire,—looking to the state of India,—looking to the
progress of events in Spain,—looking to what has
taken place in Mexico, and to the spirit which ani-
mates the American Republic, greatly, I believe, to
its own detriment—(Cheers)--and to the detriment
of public interests,—looking to the circumstances of
the times, I do not think it unreasonable to propose
that in the resent year the army and navy shall not
be reduced."—(Report in Times of 23d Feb.)
On Wednesday, the 23d, Mr. A nstey brought forward
his monster motion against Lord Palmerston ; and as
befitted the scale of the proceedings, he introduced it
with a speech of nearly five hours.
The only point on which he was strong was
Mexico. And really it does appear inexplicable, that
an invasion which has now been twelve years in pre.
paration and progress, of which the avowed intent was
to get up a preponderance for one of the two
struggling parties in the United States, with
liberty for the other to restore the balance by
doing the like on the side of Canada, should have
been nursed by British Ministers to the extent of
a positive refusal of any public remonstrance or in-
terference. It is now eleven years within a few
days, since the subject of Texas was distinctly brought
before the notice of Parliament by Mr. Barlow Hoy,
and inquiry refused by the Minister, on the ground
that the Americans could never be so wicked as to
be thinking :of annexing. Texas ; in which he was
supported by a large majority made by the votes of
the Members of the Reform party. If the Ameri-
cans have Mexico, it is precisely because everybody
would have it so. What is to be hoped is, that the
Government will be prepared to surrender Canada to
the United States on the first serious demonstration
against it, without putting the country to the ex •
pense of a useless struggle, after twelve years have
been dedicated to concentrating and promoting the
plans of the invader. That an invasion of Mexico
was substantially an invasion of Canada, was always
as clear as that a high tide at Gravesend was the way
to swamp the cellars at London-bridge.
But the weakness of the monster motion lies iit
this: that Governments cannot be brought to account
for the faults accumulating in a quarter of a century,
when there is ne substantial power of bringing them
to account for an evil at the time of its occur-
rence. Besides, there is a brief answer to the pre-
sent movement against the " necks" of the Minis-
tors ; which is that we cannot spare them. Estimate
what our condition would have been, if at this mo-
ment when events of the first magnitude are taking
place.every hour upon the Continent, the Government
of this country had been in the hands of men supposed
to be acting in the spirit of the Ducal letter, instead
of Ministers who by the decided part taken on the
questions of Switzerland and Italy, have secured the
friendship, and not the hostility, of the rising spirit
of constitutional liberty in Europe. It is clear enough
what the publication of the Ducal letter aimed at. It
aimed at operating upon precisely the crisis which is
at this moment at its height; and thankful ought all
the friends of human happiness to be, that the shell
has, as to its main purpose, fallen dead.
Six o'clock arriving, Lord Palmerston in his reply-
was stopped at a semicolon ; and mast go on again.
when the fates permit.
An inference in this place I cannot help advancing..
It would be insanity, in the actual conjuncture, to be.
blustering with calling out the militia. It would be:
doing the thing of all others best calculated for excite-
ingjeelousies, and smothering good-will ; in fact, if the
publishers of the Ducal letter could be asked whet
they would best like at this moment, as giving the,
possibility of seeing the tables turned and their
combative policy successful after all, they would say—
" Call out the militia." Surely the good sense of the.
country ought not to be drawn upon on this occasion;;
because the good sense of somebody else ought to
prevent the necessity of the appeal.
On Thursday Viscount Duncan moved for leave
to bring in a Bill for the total repeal of the Window,.
tax ; which was rejected by 160 against 68. Some
time or other there will be a Government which will
found its claim to public support upon the reform cif
the system of taxation ; but it appears it is not yet:
Meanwhile, one of the most useful ways in which thst
public can employ its leisure hours, is in coming to a:
conclusion on what the reform should be ;—a subjectz
on which there is a great deal to be done before arriv-
ing at an effective unity.
On Friday, on the order for Committee of Suppl y,
an amendment for reduction of expenditure was pro-
posed by Mr. Hume, and negatived by 157 agau Ist
59. Motion was then made for granting ijoa,opoi.
for the expenses of the Kafir war. More than one
member unblushingly declared, that the money bad
been spent already, and therefore was a debt the
House was bound to pay. Mr. Hindley told the hAe-
tory of his meeting a gentleman from the Cape, w, tio
descanted loudly on " the benefit done to Cape Tow el
by the expenditure of two millions of money i n
it;" for to so much, first or last, it is agreed it wi
amount. Not an atom of information was given
the cause of war ; and the colony altogether wa s
avowed to be next to worthless. Nevertheless th e
grant was passed, by 252 against 61. Such a fare e
is your pretended power of the purse ; and so it wii 1
continue till popular representation is placed on 2,
wider and a juster basis.
I take the opportunity to contradict some of the re-
ports
which have got into the public prints, on thee
effects produced in the House of Commons by the
stirring pieces of news which from time to time are
rived during the evening. There never was the
smallest alteration in the visible course of business ;
and no person unacquainted with the facts would have
remarked anything extraordinary, except that the
Speaker shut his eyes to a newspaper or two which
circulated along the benches.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. PERRONET THOMPSON.
Blackheath, London, Feb. 28, 1848.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE, &C.
Handicap of 20 sovs. each, and 100 added.
Arrivals up to Sunday night:—St. Leger, Wolver—
hampton, Saucepan, Matthew, Father Mathew, The
Switcher, The Shaver, Sophia, Picton, Gipsy Queen„
The Doctor, The Iron Duke, and Haworth.

The following have paid:—Latitat, br g by Aledora
dam by Amadis.

LIVERPOOL SPRING CUP.
King Fisher, and Brown Fly.
HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.
The Donnington hda., Tues. Radcliff-on-Trent; Wed 4,
Little Eaton; Sat., Langley Priory-10i.
Mr. Deacon's harrs., Wed., Roborough Rock; Sa
Shaugh Bridge-10.
Mr. A. Smith's hds., Tues., Sheroot; Wed., Whom. at
Wood; Thurs., Wilster Wood; Fri., Neth.-rayon; Ss C„
Faccombe Wood-11.

Lord 11. Bentinck's hds., Tues., Panton ; Wed., F -
kerton, Long Wood ; Thurs., Carleton-le Morelan ;
Fri., Skellingthorpe ; Sat., Somerby Hull-11.
The Essex Union hds., Wcd., Beckenham Hall; S at ~
Bettenden- common-10f.
The East Essex hds., Tues., Finchingfield•town; S tit ~
St. Anne's Castle-10f.
The Sherwood harrs., Tues., Rushley; Fri., Mor to a
Bridge.
The Rufford hds., Thurs., Laxton Village; Sial ,
Lound Hall-10i.
Mr. Luniley's hds., Tues., Grove; Thurs., Armthoil
Village; Fri., Boyle Guide-post-10f.
Sir R. Sutton's hds., Tues., Bardon Hall; Wed., But n y
Park; Thurs., Rolleston; Sat., Gaddesby-11.
Mr. M. Ingram's hds., Thurs., Bretby Park; SO
Brereton Village-10.
Mr. Drax's hds., Tues., Holnest Kennell.
The Upton harrs., Tues., Beauchamp Court; F 4 . ,
Kennel.
The Wheatland hds., Wed., Longnor; Fri., Ac tc
Burnell. _ _ _ _

—TlleLudlote hds., Tues., Gatley Coppice; Fri., 3,1
Knoll.
The Brighton harrs., Wed., Racecourse; Fri., Dyl :e .
The Brookside harrs., Thurs., Telseombe Tye-9
The Crawley and Horsham hds., Wed., Danne Pr ek;
Fri., Pease Pottage -gate-10t.
Glyndbourne harrs., Wed., Kennel; Fri., Ripe-1 1.

MICHAEL M'CABE TO BB TRANSPORTED B'OR
LIFE.—The following communication from Mr. B D.
Jackson, solicitor, of York, reached us yesterday arter-
noon:—" I have by this post received a letter f tom
M'Cabe's counsel (Mr. Matthews), from which it 01,-
pears that the basket has been sent to London, and
although it could not be carried on the arm, yet it was
impossible to say that it could not be carried untier the
arm. M'Cabe is therefore to bo transported for Eft),
because this fact supports in some measure her eride ace,
contradicted as it is by the evidence of other witnei ties,
and from which, if they are to be believed, neither I kid
nor M'Cabe could have been seen, as sworn to by the
little girl. Time alone can dissolve the dark mys isry
which hangs over this matter."—Leeds Mercury.
TUB DOCKYARD BILIGADE.—The Admiralty h eve
issued orders to the various dockyards that the last) !alc-
tions for re-organization are not to be acted upon u til
Captain Sulivan had visited all of them and made his • re-
port to the Board. Gunners mates who are in the re-
ceipt of pensions from the Admiralty are declared t abe
eligible to the situations of drill sergeants for the goat
Brigade. Mr. Brown, Master Attendant at Portsm suth
Dockyard, has solicited permission from the Admiralty
to resign the command of the Boat Brigade at that port.
—United Service Gazette.
THE GOVERNORSHIP OF THE BOROBGH COMP rE.R.
—Mr. Newman, the principal turnkey at New gate. lass
been appointed Governor of the Borough Comi rtes ,
which is being fitted up for the reception of some., )or -
tion of the prisoners at present confined in Gilts'. ler. -
street Compter. The removal of prisoners will to icy
place forthwith. The Borough Compter was formi.ani, '
for the reception of prisoners committed by the Aid. er -
men sitting at the Town Hall, as magistrates for t)3 e
"Clink" Liberty.
The Demerara Railway conveyed the first load Ali
sugar to the city of Georgetown on the 13th of Janua rip
at the rate of 20 miles per hour.

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