The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-22 00:00:00

Richard Bentley. New Burlington-street.

MR. BENTLEY
HAS JUST PUBLISHED
Sir EDWARD BULWER LYTTON'S
NEW HISTORIOAL ROMANCE,
....a.,- A R 0 L D;
THE LAST OF THE SAXON KINGS.
Which may now be obtained at all Booksellers, and at all the Li-
braries.
New Burlington-street, Jane, 1818.

Now ready, in one vol., comprising as much matter as twenty ordi-
nary volumes, with 1,500 Engravings of Arms, 38s. bound,
BURKE'S PEERAGE and BARONETAGE,
FOR 1848,
NEW EDITION,
Revised and corrected throughout from the Personal Communications
of the Nobility, &c.
",The most complete publication of its class we possess."—Atlas.
"No other Peerage can be compared with that of the Messrs.
"Mite for correctness awl completeness."—Weekly Chronicle.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

HER MAJESTY'S THLATRM.
FIRST NIGHT OF ROBERTO IL DIAVOLO.

The Nobility, Patrons to the Opera, and the Public are respectfully
Informed that a GRAND EXTRA NIGHT will take place THIS
EVENING, when will be performed 31eyerbeer's Opera, eutitled

ROBgRTO IL DIAVOLO.

Arranged in Three Acts. The Scenery by Mr. Charles Marshal

Alice, Mdlle. Jenny Lind ; Bertram tor Belletti ; Rambaldo,
Signor Labocetti ; Sacerdote, Signor Bouche ; Roberto, Sig. Garioni.
In the Second Act an incidental Divertissement, in which Mdlle.
Carolina Rosati will appear.
To conclude with the highly successfal New and Original Ballet
Divertissement, by M. Perrot, the Music by Sig. Pugni, entitled,
LES QUATRE SAISONS.

Bummer, Mdlle. Carlotta Grist ; Autumn, Mdlle. Carolina Rosati ;
Winter, Mdlle. Marie Taglioni ; Spring, Mdlle. Cerito.
PAS.—Regno du Printemps, du Printemps, Begne de l'Ete, de
l'Ete, Regne de l'Automme, de l'Automme, Regne de l'Biver, de
Plliver, du l'Union des Saisons.
Applications for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets, to be made at the
Xox-oflice of the Theatre.

Doors open at half-past Seven. and commence at Eight o'clock

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
trader the Management of Mr. B. Webster, sole Lessee.
THIS EVENING

Will be performed the Comedy of THE CONFEDERACY; or,
the City Wives. Gripe, Mr. Tilbury ; Moneytrap, Mr. Farren ;
Brass, Mr. Webster; Clarissa, Mrs. Nisbett ; Corinna, Miss Julia
Sennett; Flippanta, Mrs. Keeley, Mrs. Amlet, Mrs. Glover
After which a new piece called the PAS DE FASCINATION ; or,
Catching a Governor. Michael Browsky, Mr. Keeley; Katherine
Loper, Mrs. Keeley.
To conclude with the Farce of SPRING GARDENS. Lord Court-
ington, Mr. A. Wigan; Scoreup, Mr. Keeley; Laiy Clarissa, Mrs.
Seymour; Mrs. Scoreup, Miss Julia Bennett.

;Stage Manager, Air. Farren; Acting Manager, Mr. F. Web-fter.
J. T. Archer, fox-book keeper.
Boxes, 53. ; Pit, 33. ; Gallery, 2s. ; Upper Gallery, Is.
Doors open at Half-past Six, Performance to commence at Seven

THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI.
Under the direction of Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING
Will be performed a new and original Drama, called HARVEST
HOME. Principal characters by Messrs. H. Hughes, Lambert,
Wright, P. Bedford, 0. Smith, Madame Celeste,
Frank Matthews, Miss Turner, &c. MLss Woolgar, Mrs.
Atter which a new Farce, called GOING TO THE DERBY THE
DERBY DAY. Mr. Jerem ah Twiddle, 141 r. Wright; Mr. John
James Chucks, Mr. Paul Bedford ; Captain Nobble, Mr. Worrell ;
Mrs. Chucks. Mrs. Matthews ; Mrs. Twiddle, Miss Woolgar.
To conclude with THE MARRIED BACHELOR.
Boxes, 45.; Pit, Is. Gallery, Is.
' •,-en at Half-past Six. Performance co commence at Seven.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Vestris.
Sole Lessee. Mr. Charles Mathews.
TIIIS EVENING,
Will be performed a now comic Drama, entitled ANYTHING FOR
A CHANGE. Characters by Messrs Harley, C. Mathews, llonner;
Mrs. L. Murray, Miss K. Fitzwilliam, and Miss Marshall.
Polly, iss After which, which, THE BEGGAR'S OPERA. Captain 3fackeath,
leer. W. arrison ; Peachum, Mr. F. Matthews ;
lean Fl Htzwilliam ; Lucy, Madame Vestris , Jenny Diver, Bliss Jane
Coleman.
To conclude with a Comic Drama, called A ROUGH DIAMOND.
Characters by Messrs. Selby, Diddear, Bellingham, Backsione • Mrs.
Leiv'h Murray, and Mrs. Fitzwilliam.
Lt oss Dozes, bs. ; Upper Boxes, 45.; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, is, No
haii..pcice to any part of the house.
The ..,.•;ew 11cx-office, No. 2, Wellington-street, 1$ open to the
rnbile every day, from Ten till Six.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Mr. J. M. Maddox, sole Lessee and Manager, Duehess-street,
Portland-place.
THIS EVENING,
Will be perairmed tke comic Drama, entitled A FAIRY TALI.
Principal characters by Messrs. J. Vining, C. Fisher, Conway, Nor-
ton. Mrs. Stirling, and Miss Emma Stanley.
TO be followed by a new and original Drama, called THE SPIRIT
OF GOLD.

To conclude with the Ballet, entitled MENORF,LLA. Charac-
ters by Mr. Flexmore, N. Le Clereq, M. Deulin, Madame Le Clercq,
Mdlle. Le Clercq, Mdlle. Louise, Mdlle. Adele, bidlle. kathilde, Miss
Ralson, and Mdlle. Auriul.

Dress Circle, As. : Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is.

FRENCH PLAYS.—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
Lessee. Mr. John Mitchell. 33, Old Bond-street.
TO-MORROW EVENING,

The Entertainments will commence at half-past Seven o'clock when
Will be performed LE CODE DES FEMMES. Paul Fauval, M.
Derval ; Mignonet, M. Lemenil ; Romain, M. Lheritier ; Emma,
Mdlle. Figeac.
After which, the vaudeville of LE BON.THOMME RICHARD.
To conclude with POT AUX ROSES.
Boxes, 6s. ; Pit, 3s. tkl. ; Amphitheatre, 35.; Gallery, 28

Boxes and Stalls may be obtain,:d at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library,
33. Old Bond-street.

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

ROBERT HOUDIN. continues to attract crowded and fashionable
audiences at the St. James's Theatre, to witness his extraordinary
and original SOIREES FANTASTIQIT Es, which he will repeat
THIS EVENING, and every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Evenings, commencin.; at Half-past Eight.
No performance on Saturday, June 24.
in consequence of the great demand for places, he will repeat his
MATINEES FANTASTIQUES on WEDNESDAY MORNING,
June 28. Doors open at Two o'clock.
I.:OXeS and Stalls may be secured at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library,
33, Old Bond-greet.

ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Engagement o[ Mr. T. P. COOKE.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed FITT URE EVENTS.
After which, MY POLL AND MY PARTNER JOE. Harry
Hallyard, Mr. T. P. Cooke.
To be followed by the LANTLM SERENADERS' CONCERT.
To conclude with KENNYNGTON CROSSE.
Manager and Treasurer, Mr. B. S. Fairbrother.

ASTLEY'S. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. •
Altzball's new gorgeous Chivalrous Spectacle pre-eminently success.
ful.—Sacond week of the grand Whitsuntide Novelties.—Unparal-
leled Equestrian Feats.

TUTS EVENING,
Will be performed, the new brilliant Spectacle, founded on Sir
Walter Scott's celebrated poetical Romance, and entitled MAR-
MION ; or, The Ba.tle of nodelen Field.
To be followed by the inimitable EXERCISES OF THE EQUES-
TRIAN TROUPE. •
To conclude with the favourite drama of CLAM.
Box-ofidee o,eu from Eleven till Five.
Stage Manager, Mr. W. West.

ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
At traction u ure ceden tett.
JULLTEN and his UNRIVALLED BAND.
New Quadrille, composed expressly for the Gardens.
Engagement of Miss lIUDD \ RT.
Continuation of the Engagement of Mdlle. LOVARNY.
The DAYLIGHT VIEW of ROME, by Dauson.
Superb and Unique MENAGERIE.
Grand Display of FIREWORKS, by the Messrs. Southby.
No Extra I barge.
MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, and
FEUD kY.
View of Rome.—Promenade Concerts, Vocal and Instrumental,
konducted by Mons. JULLIEN, whose splendid Band of Solo Per-
formers includes Messrs. Baker, Barrett, Bauman, George and Viotti
Collins, Cloth, Collinet, Koenig, Lazaru-, Richard.on, S-imenberg,
Ste.—Two Solos• each Evening. —Mdlle. Lovarny will sing two ft-
Yourite Songs, Miss Iluddart will sing a favout ite Song, and with
Lovarny will execute an admire i Duet.—Also to be seen,
during the day, the beautiful Menagerie—Shakspere's House—The
Magic Bridge—said other novelties will be exhibited, the whole
concluding with a most magnificent and not to be rivalled display
of Fireworks, by the Messrs. Southby, representing the Girandola
during the Holy Week at Rome.
Gates open at Nine a.m., Feeding Time Five—Jullien's Concert at
a Quarter past Six—Fireworks at Half-past .Nine.
Admission, as usual, One Shilling.

TO CORRESP
No communication can be attended to unless authent:
cated by the name and address of the writer.
Rejected communication g cannot be returned.

THE WEATHER.—Sox OFFICES JUNE 2
THERMOMETER, Lowest, Highest, 69 ; Noon, 73,
BAROMETER, 30.06--WIND N.W.; fine.

- - _
HI( Ii WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY.
Morning .. 30 min. after 5 I Evening •. 50 min. after i

to the commandments is incompatible with the mas-
tication of a red.herring, that public decency is vio-
lated, and eternal salvation endangered by the un-
timely purchase of a rasher of ham, or the vending
of a surreptitious lobster.
To explain ourselves. There is now before the
House of Commons a Bill, prepared and introduced
by the Honourable Members for Salford and Ashton-
under-Lyne, providing that—

"No person shall, on Sunday, keep or hold, or assist
in keeping, any market, or sell, or cry, or offer or expose
for sale, or cause to be sold or cried for sale, any goods,
chattels, effects, matters, or things whatever. The
goods of hawkers so defying the law are to be confis-
cated for the benefit of the poor of the parish. The sale
of milk, fruit, pastry, and beverages before nine o'clock
A.M., and after one o'clock P.m., of cooked meat, tie,
coffee, &c., within coffee-shops, cook-shops, or eating-
houses, before ten o'clock A.M. and after one o'clock P.m.,
the sale of meat or flesh before nine o'clock A.m. (from
the 31st of May to the Ist of October in each year),
and the vending of drugs and medicines, will not be in-
terfered with by this Act. The Act is not to extend to
steam-boats or licensed houses. The penalties for in-
fringement of the above provisions are fines varying
from to 40s. Persons resisting the fficers employed
in enforcing the Act will be liable to a line of 101. The
operation of the Act is limited to the boundaries of the
metropolitan police district, and the city and liberties of
London. The Ist of October is fixed for the commence-
ment."

Considering that our old favourite, Sir ANDREW
AGNEW, is no longer a Member of the Imperial Parlia-
ment, we had hoped that such monstrous, indecent, and
most un-Christian propositions as this would never again
have been laid before the supreme Legislature. Talk
of liberty of conscience after this ! Talk of civil
freedoul, forsooth, or religious toleration, or of
the annihilation of the old incubi of ignorance, feu-
dality, and despotism ! Sorry, indeed, must be the
liberality of the English constitution if such abortions
of legalized morality and Parliamentary religion can
be allowed to interrupt the business of a rational
Senate. Often and often have we written down the
humbug of those pretenders to orthodoxy who have
from time to time attempted to interfere with Sunday
travelling both on the highways and upon
railroads. A number of pigheaded dogmatists
endeavoured to throw a moral barricade
across the line of the Glasgow Railway; but these
gentlemen failed, and so, with the help of common
sense, will the two gentlemen we have already men-
tioned
futureas adorning thesha
lChamberententer
o
at'Westminster.into the
On
a
more fully y
cruelty and folly and utter indecency of this egre-
gious measure. Meanwhile we leave the Bill to uni-
versal derision.

The Committee appointed to inquire into. the
causes of the recent commercial distress, and how
far it has been affected by the laws for regulating
the issue of notes payable on demand, have made
their first report. They have concluded their inves-
tigation so far as relates to England, and have given
the result of their opinions on that branch of the
subject, to the country. The document is (if pos
sible) more meagre and unsatisfactory than was an-
ticipated even by those who discerned the nature of
the ingenious device for shelving the question until a
period when the public mind might be less excited
on the subject, when Ministers might announce with
safety their determination to abide by the stringent
provisions of the Bank Charter Act, and to refuse
the slightest modification thereof, notwithstanding
the numerous deputations and remonstrances that had
been forwarded from eyery part of the country.
No doubt could hare been entertained by any person
at all cognizant with the avowed opinions of the
majority of those selected to form the Committee,
that they would arrive at the conclusion that no
alteration should take place in our monetary code;
but it was expected that some plausible reasons would
have been put forward in its defence, and that those
who had laboured for months, and who had examined
divers nitnesses, would at least have stated the
grounds on which they might have formed their
judgment. Nothing, however, of the kind has taken
place. The report simply states that " the Com-
mittee, after a careful review of all the evidence,
are of opinion that it is not expedient to make any
alteration in the Bank Charter Act of 1844." Such
is the magnificent result for which Parliament was
summoned at an unusual period, to the great incon-
venience of its Members, who were drawn from
their usual avocations, at a period when their pre-
sence at home was of unusual importance to them-
selvs and their tenantries.
It is, however, satisfactory to state that the Com-
mittee were by no means unanimous in their conclu-
sions; that the report was only carried by a
majority of four, while a resolution moved
by the Honourable Member for Montrose, to the
effect " that the laws for regulating the issue of
bank-notes payable on demand had aggravated the
commercial distress of England in the year 1847,"
was only defeated by the insignificant majority of
two, the numbers being eleven in support of the re-
solution, and thirteen against it, including the mem-
bers of the late and of the present Administrations who
were placed on the COmmittee. Such a defeat is
almost tantamount to a victory, and it will, we trust,
not be lost sight of by the community in general,
when the demand is made for a revision of the pro-
visions of our monetary code, and the adoption of a
currency not subject to those ruinous fluctuations
which have so injuriously affected all the
industrial pursuits of the country, involving
those who gave employment to the labouring classes

in the deepest distress, and compelling those wbo
under more propitious circumstances could obtain a
comfortable livelihood for their families, by their own
honest exertions, to take refuge in the union work-
houses.

The Committee state " that there has been a
general concurrence of opinion among the witnesses
examined ; that the primary cause of the distress was
the deficient harvest, especially of the potato crop, in
the year 1846, and the necessity of providing the
means of payment in the year 1847, for the unprece-
dented importations of various descriptions of food
which took place in that year." They also state that,
" among other causes, the deficient supply
of cotton ; the diversion of capital from its ordinary
employment in commercial transactions to the con-
struction of railroads; the undue extension of credit,
especially with our transactions with the East, and
exaggerated expectations of enlarged trade, have been
stated by some of the witnesses, as having contributed
to the same result ;" and add, " they see no reason to
doubt that these causes have, in different degrees, in
different parts of the country, produced the effect
thus ascribed to them."
This is simply a repetition of the speech of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 30th November
last, when moving the appointment of the Committee.
In fact, the precious bantling bears undoubted evi-
dence of its
paternity,
and it is scarcely necessary
speech in question that the
prepared by the eulogizer of h
The censure that was east nthe
subsequentdocument was
on the Bank directors
to inform any person h has attentively perused the
has beente Bank Charter Act.
o 3
repeateodthiNh November
so so no immedi
modi-
fied form. They have, however, promised to be
sbuerteteer
areto behaved
be
er
taken,tfuture,hethe Committee
at
cle:lm'ea-
" that it is unnecessary to impose such adruntlgy
by law, as there can be but little doubt that
the permanent interests of the Bank are identi.
fled with those of the public at large." They also
state " that they feel confident that the change which
has taken place (in the mode of appointment of the
Governor and Deputy-Governor), and the greater
experience which has been acquired during the events
of the last two years, will ensure to the public in the
future management of the Bank of England greater
benefit from this national establishment than it has
hitherto been the means of conferring upon the

country."
The above, with an allusion to the serious
consequences of the panic and the want of confidence
that existed, which, however, " was immediately re-
moved by the letter of the 25th October," and a
statement that the evidence as to the eflects of the Act
of 1844 was contradictory, appear to be the only
grounds put forward for the positive decision they
have come to. We shall on early occasion return to
the consideration of this most important subject.

In the beginning of June, 1793, the National
Convention of France promulgated the Constitution
of the new Republic—a Constitution which had been
drawn up in eight days, and which ROBESPIERRE de-
scribed
as " the most democratic institution that ever
existed."
" We can now," he said, " offer to the
universe a constitutional code, infinitely superior to
any that has ever existed, which exhibits the sublime

and majestic image of French regeneration. We may
now despise the efforts of calumny." Still however
excellent in some particulars the Constitution of 1793
may have been, there was a capital error in its mode
of inauguration—an error which led to its speedy an-
nihilation. It was traced in letters of blood. In the
beginning of June, 1848, another body of revolu-
tionists have framed another Constitution for Repub-
lican France—a constitution which resembles its pre-
decessor in some particulars, while in principle it is
directly opposed to it. In comparing the drafts of
these two constitutions we recognise the rapid de-
velopment of civilization and Christianity during the
last half century. The framers of the first Repub-
lican Constitution aspired after liberty, it is true, but
it was a liberty of that spurious kind where
men " call it freedom when themselves are
free:' One of their first liberal acts IN as
to declare liable to arrest all persons who "by
their conduct, their relations, their conversation, or
their writing, showed themselves partisans of tyranny
or federation, or who had not incessantly manifested
their devotion to the Revolution,"—that is to say, all
persons who might happen to differ, in opinion from
themselves. The new French Constitution declares,
on the contrary, in one of its first articles, that
Liberty" consists among other things "in the right
of associating; of petitioning; of exercising one's
religion ; of manifesting his thoughts and opinions
by means of the press or otherwise." The exercise of
these rights has no other limits than " the
rights and liberties of other nations, and
the public security." Another and a most
striking difference between these Constitutions
Is, that whereas in the former, according to the
ironical but truthful remark of CHABOT, the
guarantee of liberty was the guillotine, the first
article of the latter declares the fundamental prin-
ciple of social duty to consist in the practice of that
sublime maxim so beautifully termed the golden rule
of Christianity—"Do unto others as ye would be
done by." The recently formed Constitution is
almost as democratic in form as that which ROBES-
PIERRE styled the most democratic that ever existed,
and we are inclined to consider it infinitely more
liberal in effect. The only respect in which it
may appear less democratic than its predecessor,
is in its proposing triennial iu place of annual Parlia-
ments. In its other articles it realises the Utopian
dreams of Chartism. Every citizen aged 21 years is
to be an elector, and every citizen aged 25 is to be
eligible as a representative. A direct tax can be fixed
for one year only. Trial by jury is to be very gene-
rally apPlied, and in the jury of the High Court of
Justice, before which crimes and offences against the
State are to be tried, the verdict of guilty is to be
decided by a majority of two-thirds. These are some
of the most important innovations suggested in the
draft of the Constitution. The whole document, which
is very lengthy, is well drawn up, but for the
most part it only contains an enumeration of
those great maxims which are the groundwork of
social community and of those liberal institutions,
with the value of which we ourselves are practically
acquainted. A Constitution may look well on paper,
it may even elicit applause when delivered from the
tribune by the earnest voice of ARMAND MARRAST,
but for all that it may be found worthless in practice.
Such, however, will not, we are inclined to think, be
the fate of this Constitution, because, although
aiming after the perfect in theory, it condescends
to the possible in practice. It is certainly
far inferior as a composition to that sub-
lime declaration of rights of ROBESPIERRE—a do-
cument containing an eloquent demonstration of
human perfectability—a document which might be
treasured up by the Christian and the philanthropist,
were it not sullied by the blood-stained hand which
traced it. We shall more particularly analyse this
new Constitution when it shall have been adopted
by the National Assembly. In the meantime we are
satisfied with the practical liberty which it promises
—a liberty not likely to degenerate into tyranny in
the persons of the powerful few, nor into anarchy in
the hands of the mighty many. Nevertheless, while we
rejoice in finding how greatly the spirit of moderation
has become developed during the last fifty years, let
us not forget that, without the violent Republicanism
of 1793, we should not, perhaps, have witnessed the
moderate Liberalism of la4B. In the first revolution
the people were like slaves newly emancipated from
their fetters. They felt their powers, and they disco•
vered their rights, but they neither knew how to use
the one nor how to obtain the other. An impos-
sible ideal enthralled the imaginations of the
nobler spirits of that epoch, but, practically, the
liberal dogmas of the multitude were but the bab-
blings of children unlearned in their mother-tongue.
Fifty years of apprenticeship (we may suppose)
taught them their lesson. We shall now (let us
hope) witness the realisation of those sublime visions
which agitated the enthusi4 stic heart of ROLAND,
which inspired the earnest eloquence of VERGNIAUD,
which gleamed through the dismal philanthropy of
ROBESPIERRE, and which have recently found such
an able interpreter in the ardent and high-soused
LAMARTINE.

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