The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-26 00:00:00

1110111 in Ant

LONDON, THURSDAY, FE,,RUARY 26, 1846.

The Lords did not sit yesterday.
The Commons met at Twelve o'clock.

Several railway Bills were read a second time.
The second reading of the Roman Catholic Relief
8.11 was postponed after a short conversation in reference
to Lord LINCOLN'S recent declarations on the subject of
the Irish policy, in which Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN, Sir
JAMES GRAHAM, Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Mr. O'CONNELL,
and Mr. I'. HOWARD took part.
Sir JAHES GRAHAM then alluded to the case of SEERY,
and said that he had received a communication from the
Lord Lieutenant, stating that a deputation, which had
called upon him to represent the lawless state of the
county of Roscommon, had certainly stated incidentally
that aRy lenity shown. to SEERY would tend to keep
alive a spirit of insubordination, but that he had not
been influenced in his determination by their represen-
tations.

Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice of a motion for giving to
Ireland the two additional members of which Sudbury
bad been deprived.

The Friendly Societies' Bill was, after a short dis
cussion, read a second time, and the House adjourned.

In the House of: Lords, :on Tuesday, the execution of.
BRYAN SEERY, at Mullingar, was adverted to; and in conze-
quence of the allusions made to it, possibly some explana-
tion may be given by Earl ST. GERMANS. We believe the
case will be also brought before the Commons ; and under
the peculiar circumstances attending the trial, conviction,
and execution of the unfortunate man, such a step cannot be
adopted too soon. It is well known that the great body of
the people in the district of Mullingar believe that he was
unjustly condemned, and that he is regarded as a martyr by
many persons, among whom are several of the Irish clergy.
At the first glance the proceedings appear of an extraordinary
character. The principal, or rather the only witness
against him, WAS the prosecutor. He was arraigned,
the evidence was produced, the Judge summed up,
and the jury retired to consider their verdict ; but
not being able to come to any agreement, they were dis-
charged. The prisoner was again arraigned before a new
jury, who found him guilty. Such a mode of conducting a
trial is hardly known in this country, though similar in-
stances have occurred, and, in our opinion, the less it is prac-
tised the better: but the main point is the innocence or
guilt of the victim; and in order to clear that up, and allay
the commotion created by this unfortunate affair, the Go-
vernment should furnish every possible information. We
believe most persons capable of comparing the different facts
adduced in the evidence, and forming a judgment, are fully
convinced that SEERY was guilty, but that does not appear
to be the impression of the multitude, for the im- ,

portant statements made by Sir FRANCIS Hormets have not
any effect whatever. This is unfortunate in many respects,
but, most of all, because the lower Irish seem only to be the
more confirmed in their belief that they cannot obtain jus-
tice in a criminal court, and must trust entirely for protec-
tion to private revenge. As regards the evidence of Sir
FRANCIS HOPKINS, we are bound to say it is in every
respect satisfactory. He had known the man for many
years ; Seery had been his tenant, and we believe, also, his
steward ; he had been induced to give up his farm for a con-
siderable sum of money, taken another in a different district,
and having been unsuccessful, chiefly through his own in-
dolence, he came back to his old quarters, and urged to be
reinstated an the farm belonging to the prosecutor. This
demand, of course, was rejected, and thence he vowed
to retaliate either upon the occupying tenant or the
landlord for what he considered an act of injustice.
When the attempt at assassination was made the moon was
shining bright. Sir FRAxcis, who fortunately escaped the
shot, seized his assailant, held his face up between him and
the light, and distinctly recognised the features of the man
whom he had known for many years. The man made his
escape, as some accomplices came to his rescue,
but he left parts of his dress, which were recog-
nised as belonging to SEEnv. We believe these facts
are admitted by all unprejudiced parties, and the evidence
altogether was considered so strong and conclusive the that
Irish Government allowedthe law to take its course. But, be-
sides, what object could Sir FRANCIS HOPKINS have in
obtaining the conviction of an innocent manond what motive
could he have in giving such evidence, unless he were fully
convinced of his identity ? The words of Sir FRANCIS
HOPKINS on this point are explicit and decisive :

" It has been stated that I solicited a commutation of the extreme
punishment of death, and an inference was drawn therefrom that I had
changed my mind respecting the identity of my assailant. It is true
that I did solicit the clemency of the Crown for the unhappy prisoner,
who on this occasion I believe to have been the tool of others, but I
most solemnly deny that the shadow of a doubt ever crossed my
mind as to the identity of my assailant, and notwithstanding the re-
ported dying declaration of innocence by Seery on the scaffold, I
again affirm that he was the person who tired at, and subsequently
assaulted me, on the night of the 18th of November last, and such is
my positive and unalterable conviction."

Mr. MORGAN JOIIN O'CONNELL told the protectionists last
night that they would forget all their abuse and threatening
as soon as this pending question was settled, and, as after
Catholic Emancipation, be again the humble servants of Sir
ROBERT PEEL. The protectionists cried " No." What is
their " No" worth ? They are now again petting and
patronising Mr. FERRAND, whom, with hardly a single ex-
ception, they all united to put clown when he attacked Sir
JAMES GRAHAM about the Nottingham Elution Com-
mittee, and Sir JAMES GRAHAM procured a vote of
censure on him from the House of Commons. Mr.
FERRAND, after having been for a long time all but proscribed
by all but the whole of his party, spoke again last night
amid the most enthusiastic plaudits, such as cheered him on
in his first Parliamentary efforts. "Adversity makes us ac-
quainted with strange bedfellows," and the great protec-
tionist party, deserted by the Government, have not thought
it beneath them to take up Mr. FERRAND again, and avail
themselves of those powers of abuse, which were first used to
their gratification against Mr. COBDER and the League,
which were afterwards turned upon Sir ROBERT PEEL and Sir
JAMES GRAHAM, greatly to the disgust of the protection
gentlemen, who were then Sir ROBERT PEEL'S and Sir JAMES
Gnanam's humble servants, and which now (all that was
passed being forgotten) are again hounded on by the "gen-
tlemen of England," by the " proud aristocracy" of England,
against the Members of the Government, as they were
before Mr. FERRAND was found out by his friends, against
the manufacturers. If there were any foreigner in the gallery
for the first time on Tuesday he would have carried away a
strange opinion of the oratory of the English Senate, if
after witnes,ing Mr. FERRAND'S violent extravagance of
gesture and hearing the vociferous cheers which greeted all
his personal attacks, he had concluded that his was the
favourite style of speaking with the gentlemen of the English
House of Commons.

And such a speech as Mr. FERRAND'a was ! Why, what
does it all come to? That Mr. Escorr was a vehement pro-
tectionist, and is now a free-trader, and ought to ge down
to Winchester for re-election ; that Mr. BEcxErr, of Leeds,
has changed also, and should go to Leeds for re-election, else,
says this gentlemanly orator, he will be known' ever after
as " dishonest WILLIAM BEcKE•TT," and this gentlemanly sally
was chened, too, by the gentlemen of England; and that Sir
JAMES GRAHAM and Sir ItossaT PEEL should give Dor-
chester and Tamworth an opportunity of expressing their
opinions on the conversion of their representatives to free
trade. The extracts from Mr. ESCOTT'S and Sir Jalui:
GRAHAM'S former speeches were, it must be allowed, suffi-
ciently amusing. But how does this affect the merits of the
Ministerial measure? We are disposed to allow Mr. FER-
RAND all that he contends for. We think that Lord ASMLEY
and the others, who, after being returned to Par-
liament as protectionists, have resigned their
seats before voting for the Ministerial measure, have
taken the right course. Members of Parliament are
elected by their constituents on account of their entertain-
ing certain opinions on political questions; there is an end of
the influence of electors in our representative system if thus
much is not conceded. And there can be no doubt that
every Member on the Conservative side was returned in
1841 as a protectionist. This being so, we have no hesita-
tion in saying that every protectionist who has become a
free-trader owes it to himself and to his constituents to do
as Lord ASHLEY, Lord HENNIKER, Mr. STURT, and Mr
CIIARTERIS have done. But, after all, this is a matt
rather between themselves and their constituents
than for us to meddle with, whose chief anxiety
is to see Sir ROBERT PEEL'S proposals become the law of the
land. And, we believe, that if the protectionists were to
have their will, and an appeal were to be made to the
country as they ask, that they would take nothing by their
motion.

Evertere domus total optantibus ipsis

Di faciles.
And if Sir ROBERT PEEL were good natnredly to let the
protectionists have the dissolution which they pray for, we
believe it would be the dissolution of the protection party.
No inference is to be drawn from the duke-ridden counties
and pocket-boroughs, in which great proprietary influence has
lately compelled new elections, and substituted men who are.
protectionists still for men who were protectionists in 1841
In some other cases, protectionists would be substituted for
Peelites on a general election ; but there are others in
which Peelites would be substituted for protectionists—aye,
and Liberals for protectionists. Will Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS
ever show his face again in Liverpool, or Mr. BECKETT
DENISON (after voting against Ministers) in the West
Riding ?
A dissolution has hitherto been objected to, not be-
cause it was feared in itself, but because it would pro-
duce delay in the carrying of Sir ROBERT PEEL'S
measure. Considering that this debate has gone on
for three weeks, and that a Parliament may be
dissolved and a new one called and begin business
in six weeks, perhaps Sir R. PEEL may change his mind.
We, at any rate, advise the protectionists not to reckon too
much on his powers of endurance. He may dissolve. Let
them take care they arc not caught in their own trap.

It is quite illusory to regard the succession of speeches
now uttered night after night in the House of Commons as
likely in the slightest degree to modify the commercial policy
advanced by Sir ROBERT. The discussion altogether resembles
one of those pleasant tragicomedies which upon the stage
—that is to say, both upon the theatrical and Parliamentary
stage—is formed entirely of conventionalities. It resembles,
we repeat, one of those facetious performances, through the
woof of whose lamentations, and dilemmas, and misfortunes
peeps out—the great, jovial, and CERTAIN denouement. There
are the mournful " walking-gentlemen" no doubt (such as
Sir R. INGLis), whose office it is to produce white pocket-
handkerchiefs and words of bitter wailing ; there are choleric
" guard ans" (such as Mr. Scow), who are incessantly trying
to embroil somebody; there are satirical "lookers-on" (such as
Mr. DISRAELI), who discharge the duties originally imposed
upon the Greek choruses, of commenting upon passing occur-
rences with smart sallies of wit and sarcasm of much sparkle
and brilliancy. Nevertheless, throughout the alternations of
passion and sentiment which are thus represented on the
floor of the Low erHouse,in spite of the lugubrious countenances
of many of the principal performers of the important political
drama now in course of representation, we have ever before
us in perspective the final tableau with which the piece wil
terminate; we perceive the inevitable consummation
of happiness with which the final scene will conclude;
we already, in the prescience of fancy, see the curtain of
the present session descending amidst the general and
enthusiastic approbation of the spectators (the public) with
the orderly appearance and contented looks of the stage
heroes—the representatives (whether present or future) of
the Lower House. This we most conscientiously maintain
will prove no idle talking, but the true harbinger of what is
now upon its indomitable approach—free importation, free
exportation, plenty and prosperity. Let not any rash an-
tagonist suppose for one instant that the acceptance of free
trade as a relative portion of the British Constitution can be
retarded by any puny obstacles of their interposition ; let
them remember that public opinion is impelling this great
measure forward with a resistless force, that public opinion
infuses, by its accordance, a vast energy and power
into the voice of the Premier and his adherents—
a power which no opposition of theirs, how-
ever spasmodicspasmodic and infuriated, can overthrow ; let
them
party remember
andn
thato the
individual
class,abolitionb
u t isb y
a remarkable onwardsurged
by no
combination of all divisionsefp?litical doctrine, by the
one hundred and nem-
bodiment of the national will in
sixty-
eight thousand psunds, by the
expressed a
number : but
,
exampleprobation of re-
presentatives and constituencies almost without
d os
above all, let them follow the bold gloriousand
many of our most illustrious statesmen, by bowing
before the majesty of experience and conviction, by ewn
sacri-
ficing (if need be) self to society, by acknowledging with
real greatness of spirit the fallacy of their former
opinions, and by diffusing happiness among their coun-
trymen by the performance of an act of justice and reparation.
Another of these instances of self-forgetfulness—of genuine
Parliamentary magnaminity, was witnessed on Monday in
the person of Sir GEORGE CLERK. There is something
worthy of sincere esteem in the candour and the readiness
with which the President of the Board of Trade confesses the
necessity of some permanent alteration in our commercial
laws. Himself a large landed proprietor—totally sustained,
we may say, by his territorial possessions in the neighbour-
hood of Edinburgh, Sir GEoRGE CLERK is prepared to en.
counter any deterioration in his fortunes (if such can possibly
follow the Abolition Act), he is willing to risk any amount
in his personal revenues, bowie he believes -that

such a proceeding is requisite for the general welfare
of Great Britain. His survey is not restricted to this pre-
sent hour or this present crop—he sees beyond the horizon
of this year and this harvest—he calculates the contingencies
of vegetation, increased population, and diffused knowledge
—he beholds the inadequacy of any sliding-scale to prevent
a deficiency of food, or to diminish its price sufficiently for
the means of the more indigent classes; and seeing all this,
feeling all this, knowing all this, comes forward manfully to
sustain by his co-operation the earnest and laudable efforts
of the Prime Minister. His elaborate and detailed analysis
of the arguments advanced by Messrs. DISRAELI and HUD-
SON, were most straightforward and conclusive. He scarcely
so much reposed the nerve of his logic on metaphysical dis-
tinctions as upon manifest and naked facts ; he controverted
their sophistry by statistics ; he scourged them with the
satire of common sense. He pronounced a decided appro-
bation of the scheme propounded by Government
as admirable. because it would equalise prices : how?
"Not," said the Right Hon. Member, "by bringing
English prices down to the continental level, but by raising
continental prices to the English level." And this asser-
tion he proved to be correct by the clearest and least contro-
vertible chain of reasoning. It was not a mere declaration ;

it was a deduction. It was not a mere vagary of the ima-
gination ; it was a bodily and demonstrable truth.
For this staunch and disinterested behaviour of Sir
GEORGE CLERK, he is worthy of our utmost con-
mendation, and we hereby utter that commendation in
simple language. While, however, we would applaud an
individual Member of the House of Commons for conduct
truly praiseworthy, we must utter our most comprehensive
protest against that august House, as a body,
for the inexcusable manner in which they are
now frittering away time most precious to the
community at large. Their most useless and unen-
durable delay over the settlement of a measure of such immi-
nent and vital importance to the inhabitants of these
islands—more especially to Ireland, where famine is
already beginning to decimate the populace—is inex-
cusable and injurious to a degree. Surely enough
has been said both in favour of protection, and
in favour of free trade; surely the question at issue has
been sufficiently conned and dissected; the kings of the
forest have spoken—we don't want to hear the voice of
every weazel and every field-mouse. Other Bills are wait-
ing ; labourers without employment are waiting ; an im-
patient and hungry multitude are waiting: let the matter,
then, be forthwith concluded : let the maize and the colonial
grain enter the ports : let Government tarry no longer in
some practical signs of its wisdom and its beneficence.

The official dispatches describing the late battles on the
Sutlej, published yesterday morning in the London Gazette Ex-
traordinary, and given at length in The Sun,will be read with
melancholy interest. They confirm all the previous state-
ments respecting the great bravery displayed by the officers
and troops tinder their command, the vast difficulties they
had to contend with, and the superiority of numbers on the
part of the enemy, the proportion being four to one, view-
ing the two forces in general position, but in some instances,
fully ten to one against the British. When it is remembered
that the Seikh troops are considered the most brave and
daring in India, that they had been well trained by Euro-
pean officers skilled in all the tactics of the French revolu_
tion, that their guns were numerous and of a very large size
—from nine to twenty-four pounders, and that they were
admirably served, the decisive victory becomes the more
wonderful, and the gallantry both of the native and Euro-
pean troops appears unequalled in any former engagements
in India. There was, however, one exception, and that is
candidly admitted by Sir. JOHN LITTLER ; but great allow-
ances must be made when the small army of that gallant
officer had such fearful odds against them. It was stated in
private letters that the division under LITTLER had been re-
pulsed, and it appears from the official dispatches that a part
of this report was true, but the check was speedily remedied,
and that, too, by only one European regiment, the 9th Foot,
with the 20th Regiment of Native Infantry, and a part, of the
14th Native Infantry. "The first advance in line," says the
General, " was steady, and the approach to the enemy's works
made under a most galling fire. The casualties in the ranks were
awful. The troops, however, moved on with great firmness
and resolution, and approached the enemy's battery to
within about 150 yards, when I considered the prize to be
within their grasp. The enemy, however, having great
confidence in their guns, continued to serve them with ex-
traordinary activity, and to make such havoc in our ranks,
as to cause an immediate panic and hesitation in her MA-
JESYT'S 62d Foot, which of course had a similar effect on the
native regiments on the flanks, notwithstanding all our
exertions to induce them to advance by cheering and
encouraging them, pointing at the same time to the short
distance which they had to proceed when the day would be
their own. It was all in vain, and they retired out of gun-
shot, to where her MAJESTY'S 9th Foot and 26th Regiment
Native Infantry were drawn up in reserve. A part of the
14th Regiment Native Infantry, with their colours, accom-
panied these two regiments, and entered the enemy's batteries."
Nothing can furnish a stronger proof of the bravery of the
native troops than the glorious result mentioned in the last
part of the paragraph, and the dreadful havoc among the
officers of the 62d shows that it was no fault of theis that
such an unfortunate repulse took place. Of the officers com-
manding that regiment we find that not fewer than eight
were killed and nine wouaded—several of them severely. In
every other quarter the utmost steadiness and bravery were
displayed by both officers and men ; and, considering the
number of native officers appointed to each regiment, their
courage appears to have been fully equal to that of the
Europeans, the proportion, for instance, of those killed on the
21st and 22d being thirty-seven European officers, and seven-
teen native officers. The Governor. General in adverting to
the conduct of this part of the army pays them the highest
compliment. "Thanks," says he in the general orders pub-
lished on the 30th December, "are justly due to the brave
infantry of the native army, whose valour so mainly contri-
buted to these victories, and he cannot withhold his admira-
tion for the patience and perseverance with which they en-
dured privations inseperable from forced marches." General
Lrrmaa also bears full testimony to their fidelity. " The
native troops," he adds, " under the numerous temptations to
which they have been exposed for several months past by
Seikh emissaries, have evinced their loyalty to the British
Government in a most remarkable manner, not a single de-
sertion having taken place, since the enemy crossed the
Sutlej, that has come to my knowledge. They have main-
tained the character of the Bengal army in displaying cou-
rage and bravery under a heavy fire." This is satisfactory
in -another point of view, because it is well known that our
Indian empire must be maintained chiefly by the aid and
concurrence of the natives. The British forces in that
vast extent of territory are a mere handful of men,
compared with the population, and this attachment
to British rule, therefore, may be regarded

as the firmest basis of our stability in the East. This ought to
teach the Directors of the India Board, as well as the Go-
vernor-General and home Government, to act with the utmost
liberality, fairness, and generosity towards the native troops,
increase rather than diminish their pay, encourage promo-
tion, and place them as far as circumstances will admit on a
footing with their more civilised and powerful rulers. The
dispatch of Sir H. HARDLNOE to the Secret Committee of the
East India Company, describing the important results o
this wanton attack upon the British territory, is brief and
satisfactory. It appears that so early as the Bth of December,
ten days before the first attack, and thirteen before the
battle commenced on the 21st, he had put a
portion of the army in motion to repel the
invaders, and though considerably outnumbered, the
forces he concentrated around Ferozepore were equal to
beat the enemy on every point, capture nearly the whole cf
their artillery, tents, baggage, with large quantities of ammu-
nition and warlike stores. In that dispatch we learn for the
first time that no new entrenchments had been made by the
Seikhs on the left bank, for these successful operations had

been followed by the " retreat of the Seikh army
to the other side of the Sutlej, the British army
being now (December 31) encamped between Ferozepore
and the fords of the Sutlej." This will remove much anxiety ;
for from the imperfect accounts hitherto received of the posi-
tion of the defeated army, fears were entertained that they
were preparing for further resistance. The Governor-
General thus sums up his remarks :—" No accident or failure
has occurred during the complicated operations of a com-
bined movement; and our army, whether for defence or
attack, has shown, as heretofore, that its power is irre-
sistible."

We have received Madrid journals of the 17th, but they
contain no news. A report seemed to gain ground that the
Ministry would pass the Electoral Bill with the utmost dis-
patch, and then dissolve the Cortes, preparatory to a general
election under the new law. Accounts have been received of
the movements of the Infante Don HENRY. He had not
made his escao, as reported, though he had left Vigo on the
12th instant much discontented, and refused to accept the
visit of the authorities. On the 17th the Three per Cents.
closed at 32% for cash, and 33 at 60 days ; and the Madrid
and Aranjuez Railroad shares at 2,090 for cash.

The Paris papers are much occupied with the speeches of
the new Spanish Ministers in the Cortes, containing explana-
tions of the late crisis, which several of them give at length,
with comments, but we find nothing in them requiring
notice. Those of the Opposition are of opinion that NARVAEZ
has been greatly disappointed by the result, and that when
he resigned he expected to be able to form a Cabinet, of
which he should be the chief. They infer also that he had
some dangerous plans in view, to which his colleagues would
not consent. In the Committee of the French Chamber of
Deputies, on Monday, appointed to take into consideration the
extraordinary vote of 25,000,000 f. for the service of the army
iu Africa, a long and spirited discussion took place. Several of
the speakers, chiefly of the Ministerial side, were in favour of
a more limited plan of occupation, while the Opposition Mem-
bers generally approved of the policy adopted by Marshal
BUGEAUD, and taking possession of the entire country from
Morrocco to Tunis. Should their opinion prevail many extra-
ordinary grants of 25,000,0001'. will yet be required, but the
general feeling seemed rather the other way, and adverse to
the mode of warfare hitherto practised. The Committee,
however, was nearly equally divided, for four Opposition
members were elected out of the nine. The object of the grant
was to raise the effective strength of the army to 95,331 men.
Political affairs seemed to be in a sad state of confusion at
Berne. A letter from that city, dated the 19th instant, gives
the following account of the last meeting of the Grand
Connell :
" We have had a stormy sitting to-day which lasted from nine in
t 9 1/01111 ttl9 rrenipg, TWO Yfero ADM 112 13303 x;7_

Lincoln ... ...
Hildyard. ... ..

Lincoln ... ...
Hildyard ... ...

Hildyard ...
Lincoln

... 124
... 232

... 202
... 204

Hildyard
Lincoln ... •••

... ... 88
... ... 426

... ... 157
... ... 190

... ... 1,512
... ... 960