The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-03 00:00:00

COMIC TALES AND SKETCIIPS, 2 V ols.

Cunninykam, London, 1841.
These volumes consist of republications of cer-
tain tales and sketches, in prose, that have al-
ready appeared in Fraser's Magazine, the New
Monthly Magazine, and the Comic Almanack.
As they were much liked at the time of their ap-
pearance, and the majority of them were re-
printed in the United States, the author, who
styles himself Michael Angelo Titinarsh,
lifts done wisely to collect and republish them.
The best of them is an extravaganza, entitled
" Some Passages in the Life of Major Galiagan,"
which is full of the broadest drollery, and con-
tains, besides, some smart, pungent hits at the
present rage for memoir-writing. We should be
glad to see Mr. Titmarsh try his hand at a satiri-
cal novel, for, if we mistake not, lie would suc-
ceed admirably; posessing a shrewd and caustic
wit, and a quick apprehension of the peculiari-
ties of character/ as he has abundantly shown in
WS first production, the " Paris Sketch-hook."

Fill.-8 ARTS.
PLAN OF THE MILITARY AND NAVAL
OPERATIONS UNDER THE COMMAND
OP WOLFE AND SAUNDERS, BEFORE
QUELIP,O.

Tryidt, London, 1841.
This Plan, or Map, which is upon an exten-
§lit scale, and illustrates the naval and military
Operations that led to the capture of Quebec,
and the dosing triumph of General Wolfe, has
jug been published by Mr. Wyld, the Geo
grapher, of Charing=eross. The plan is the pro-
duction of Mr. Alfred ItaWkinsi who has care-
fully compiled the typographical portion of it
from original surveys, and laid down with equal
accuracy ;the opolttions of the English naval and
military torkie§. lie has represented also the de-
fences of the Vreildi tindef Montcalm, and in-
deed omitted not one single pOitifi however mi-
nute, that may serve to explain the preeedings
of the attacking and defending- parties. The
field-works of the British troops at the island of
Orleans; the entrenchments and line of battle
of the French army the redoubts, batteries, and
other defences, which extend to a distance of
nearly nine miles—all these various explanatory
detak33 are delineated with a skill and accuracy
that is truly astOrdshinEc. The plan is still fur-
ther embellished witif tin exquisite miniature
copy of West's celebrated plettlfel the " Death
of Wolfe on the Field of Battle," and with a
sketch of the troops in the act of ascending the
lofty precipices to gain the heights 6.f. Abram.
This sketch is one of the most spirited thin,6-5 of.
the sort we ever remember to have seen, and
gives a vivid idea of the perilous nature of the
achievement. A vignette, in the corner of the
Plan, represents Britannia, supported by the
lion, pointing out to the victorious troops the
citadel of Cape Diamond; Wolfe's name is in-
scribed on her shield, on the rays of which are
emblazoned the names of the gallant regiments
which shared the glories of the day. The plan
is inscribed to the Members of the United Ser-
vice of the British Empire, and as illustrating
one of the most heroic conflicts that has taken
place in modern times, and which startled Eu-
rope like a thunder-clap, the odds having been at
least ten to one against the English army, will,
no doubt, obtain a large circulation among mili-
tary and naval men. As an engraving, the work
does infinite credit to Mr. Wylde, who has exe-
cuted it with a taste, and vigour, and distinct-
ness that no artist of the day can surpass.

LIBERTY OF SPEECH.
The Birmingham Journal reports a curious example
of the perversion of Magisterial authority ; and it in-
volves a new species of aggression upon popular rights.
At an adjourned vestry meeting in the Town-hall,
where a violent contention had arisen relative to the le-
gality of the proceedings of the Church-rate party, a
Chartist delegate, named White, claimed the privilege
of speaking. Clamour and cries of "No Chartists"
drowned his voice, but he persisted in his endeavour to
make himself heard. The Chairman (whose authority
to act in that capacity was disputed by a portion of the
meeting) told the speaker that " he could allow no in-
terruption to the business, and would not," when
" Mr. Alston, the Magistrate, who at the moment
entered the organ-gallery, entered into some conversa-
tion with him, which, however, could not be heard.
Mr. Gutteridge stood up, and as w,ll as we could catch
his words, called upon Mr. Alston to remove White out
of the place, when presently a police-officer entered by
- one door, and Mr. Shaw and other officers by another,
and, taking hold of White, they removed him forcibly
out of the gallery, amidst the moat deafening cheering
and clapping oflands of the rate party, and groaning
and hooting of the other. A scene of great contusion
ensued—a portion of those in the body of the hall ran
outside, but they were met by a body of police, who
were stationed all the morning in and about the build-
ing, and they returned to the hall. White was con-
veyed into the comm.ttee.room. The polling wa at
the time going on. The meeting broke up, after which
White was discharged without being conveyed to any
station." _ _

The Chartists have set the example of warring
against the liberty of speech at public meetings, and
now a Chartist is the first to suffer in his own person
by the "carrying out" of his own principle. It must
go hard, indeed, with the Tories if they do not " better
the instructions' they have received. The violence of
the Church-rate party in Birmingham is but a natural
sequence to the violence of the Corn-law Chartists in
various parts of the country.
'the means of suppression employed by both parties
are characteristic. The Chartists acs only upon the
force of their own lawless and arbitrary wills ; the Tory
Church supporters act upon the same dictates, but em-
ploy lawful agents to give a colour of authority to their
proceedings. The Chartist clamourers trust to their
lungs and cet-calls ; the Tories use the same instru-
ments, with the addition of a detachment of police. The
unwritten law, which recognizes freedom of speech at
public meetings legally assembled, the Chartists set
aside ; the Tories do this likewise, but at the same time,
being lovers of order, they wrest the powers of the
magisterial office to the purposes of tyranny.
It the advocates of the Charter have not hitherto
understood the spirit of practical Toryism, it can
hardly be expected that the arreq of their brother
Chartist in Birmingham will instruct them. But
surely they will ask whit offence Mr. Witite committed
at this vestry meeting, and why he was dragged out
by tl.e police, detained in custody until the meeting
broke up, and then set at liberty, without even the
ceremony of an accusation, or the form of an
inquiry ! Men are consigned to the charge of the
police for what they do say at such m7etings, but here
a man is deprived of liberty for attempting to speak.
The Chartists, unable to answer the denouncer of the
Corn-laws, put him down ; the Tories, afraid to hear
the denouncer of Church-rates, take him up.
If such proceedings have a tendency to stifle discus-
sion and prevent public meetings, they may also have a
tendency to render preaching inefficacious, and to shut
up churches. It is difficult to deny that the
Church is in danger, when we see what props its friends
prefer, and find them wantonly exasperating men
otherwise well-disposed to that institution. Among
the persons who addressed the Birmingham magistrate
on the occasion adverted to, one said—
" You, Sir, have done to-day what never was
done in my time in Birmingham. You are the
first man who has ever had the andacily to bring a
policeman into this hall, and arrest a man for no other
crime than speaking, and who never injured you.—
(Cheers.) I have been a constant attender at Christ's
church, bet the bigotry l have witnessed to-day by
your party, and the unchristian conduct of you, a ma-
gistrate, has forced me to this conclusion, that I never
will attend the Church again. I never will contribute
to it one penny, and I never will rest until its power to
injure the people is destroyed. You have done to-day
what will not be forgotten. You have created a feeling
which all the Toryism and Church-of-Englandism in
the town will never put down. We will begin in
earnest."
The injury thus done to the Church, may be cow:-
terbalitt•ed by the benefit of the moral lesson rendered
to the Chartists, it the outrage committed upon their
delegate, the opponent of Church rates, shall teach
them who their real encines are, and re-produce in
their minds the old and just conviction, that the coun-
tenance of Toryism and the preservation of popular
privileges—even the privilege, it seems, of public speech
in public vestry—are utterly incompatible. The esta-
ashinent of a Tory Government would not exactly
tend to discourage the Tory magistracy from pursuing
the new exp, dient of introducing policemen into town-
halls, as practical censors of oratory and opinions.
This proceeding merits tile strongest reprobation, and
should not he allowed to pass without other censure
than this. Once permit the tyranny, and it is impossi-
ble to say where it may end.—Examincr.

We understand, that in acknowledgment of the
eminent public services rendered by Major-General S.r
George Arthur, during his administr.tion of the govern-
meet of Upper Canada, he is about to be raised to ti.e
dignity of a Baronet. The Ga►lant Officer's return to
this country was the inevitable consequence of the Act
which united the Canadian Prov:nces, and which, there.
fore., brought to a close his separate c3rnmand, both civil
and military.'
The Duke of Wellington entered on his 73d
year on Saturday, having been born Cu May 1, 1769.