The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-13 00:00:00

IC 11 E N, Dfru

astonishing character. In 1832 the net produce, exclusive
of the corn duties, was 32,178,814/., and in 1845 it
amounted to 33,415,4311., though the total amount
for the two departments remitted during that period was
5,197,074/. These show, above all other things, how in-
jurious protection, under the guise of prohibition and heavy
duties, is to the well-being of the community ; how it robs
the Exchequer, without benefiting any class; and how well-
founded are those liberal measures adopted zbfriench a large
majority of the Commons House of Parliament.

Among the dropped motions which stood for discussion it the
Commons last ev.ning, is one of considerable interest and im-
portance for the press, and, we venture to think, not less in-
teresting and important to the public. Lord INGESTRE is
to call the attention of Parliament to the contents of a peti-
tien which he has presented from the proprietor of the
Wolverhampton Chronicle, complaining of his having been
proceeded against for libel, having been cast in damages, and
by cots and damages together having been put to an ex-
pense of upwards of 300/., for printing in his newspaper an
extract from minutes of the Committee of Council en Edu-
cation, published by authority, on the subject of the Lich-
field Grammar School. The account of this school, given by
Mr. ALLEN, the Inspector of Schools, in the publication of
the Committee of Council, was naturally published in a
newspaper circulating in the locality. It turns oLt that this
account contains unfounded allegations relative to the cha-
racter of the schoolmaster. The schoolmaster brought ac-
tions both against the publisher of the minutes of the Com-
mittee of Council and against the publisher of the Wolver-
hampton Chronicle, which merely copied a statement published
on official authority. The publisher of the newspaper twice
tendered apology to the schoolmaster, and both tenders
were refused. The action proceeded, and a verdict for 50/.
damages was obtained by the schoolmaster. But for Lord
CAMPBELL'S recent amendment of the law of libel, by which
a tender of apologyis allowed to be given in evidence for miti-
gation of damages, the damages would have been higher.
Now this state of things cannot be right. It is expedient
that a Government should have the power of publishing the
results of inquiries necessary to be known with a view to
legislation ; and, on the other hand, that there should be the
means of preventing an abuse of this Government power, in
publishing statements with regard to individuals, either un-
true, or though true, not needing to be published. The best
means of preventing libels may be by giving a right of action
to individuals; but then this should be against the officials,'
who arc responsible for the libels, not against other parties
who, relying on official documents, merely copy them for the
further instruction of the public, and the further diffusion of
what it is the object of the Government to have as widely
diffused as possible. The publisher of the Wolverhampton
Chronicle was carrying out the okeets of the Government in
giving further circulation to the statements with regard to
the Lichfield School. It is manifestly unjust that he should
now be made the scape-goat for official errors ; and Parlia-
ment is bound to compensate him for the expense to which,
he has been subjected.
We extract a few paragraphs from this petition, knowing
that a question of a grievance of an individual, affording no
room for party excitement, always comes before Parliament
under great disadvantage ;--
" In the month of April 1844, your petitioner, in the exer-
cise of his profession, inserted in his newspaper a verbatim
extract from the minutes of the Committee of Council on
Education, purporting to be the result of official inquiry by
the Rev. Mr. Allen, her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, and
the unquestionable accuracy of which your petitioner sup-
posed to be testified by that report. The extract in question
related to the Endowed Grammar School of the city of Lich-
field, in which your petitioner's newspaper has a considerable
circulation, and imputed its deplorable condition (the school
at that time having been completely closed, and without a
single pupil, for about six years), to the harshness and ex-
treme severity cf the master, the Reverend Cowper-
thwaite Smith • and alleged that upon two separate occasions
he had appeared to answer charges of improper punishment
of two of his pupils before the magistrates of the city of
Lichfield. Upon this statement, guaranteed by the above
official authority, your petitioner placed the utmost reliance,
and earnestly wishing the revival of the school in question,
at which many distinguished scholars and eminent men had
been educated, conceived it to be his deity to give a local
circulation to the statement contained in the report, and it
consequently appeared in your petitioner's newspaper. Your
petitioner is of opinion that lie cannot, in any degree what-
ever, be considered as participating in the writing of any
libel, and is onlf responsible for having placed reliance on
the statements contained in a public and official document,
bearing on the face of it the high sanction of her Majesty's
Privy Council, and the guarantee of the authorised investi-
gation of her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, for the truth of
the particular facts alleged."

We have received Madrid journals of the sth instant, but
they contain no news. The Fundicontinued much depressed.
The Three per Cents. closed at 28% for cash, and 20% for
the 28th inst., and the Five per Cents. at 21 fur the 25th
of April.

The Paris papers continue to be chiefly occupied with the
Polish insurrection, which, from all accounts, may now be
considered at an end. Cracow was occupied by the Russians
on the 3d of March, the Austrians, it is understood, entered
on the 4th, and the Prussians on the 7th. The Prussian
State Gazette announces these facts with some additional
particulars: " General Cowx, who on the Ist of March had
opened communications with General DE FELDON, commanding
the Prussian troops, had at the same time opened negotia-
tions with the insurgents, who were disposed to give up the
town. Whilst the negotiations were going on, the Russian
corps moved forward, and marched into the town without
striking a blow. It will be recollected that the Russian
frontier is but seven kilometres from Cracow, and that the
town offers no means of defence. Besides, the young and
able part of the population having left the town end gone
into Gallicia, the only persons whe remained in Cracow were a
few old men, besides women and children. Further than this
we have no details relative to the occupation of the town by
the Russians. The Russian corps consists of five battalions
four squadrons, 600 Cossacks, and one battery of artillery.
The Austrian corps is about the same force, and was to in-
vade Cracow on the 4th inst. Lastly, the Prussians, 3,000
strong, commanded by General ROHR, were expected to ar-
rive at Cracow on the 7th, which is about 80 kilometres
distant from the Prussian frontier. Thus it will be seen
Cracow is once more placed under the protectorate of the
three Powers, which by the treaty of Vienna guaranteed its
independence. Cracow, the point where the insurgents first
commenced their operations, is about to cease to play the
principal part in this heroic and disastrous attempt on the
part of the Polei to recover their nationality. We have no
accounts of what has taken place upon the right bank of the
Vistula since the Ist of March. It is not yet known whether
the remnant of the three insurgent corps succeeded in open-
ing a passage into the Carpathian mountains, for their return
towards the Vistula was cut off by Generals Cowie and
MEl:rotor, who had occupied all the passages of that river
which border upon the territory of the Republic."
The Universat Gazette confirms this intelligence in
a letter dated Breslau, the sth inst. :—" Yesterday, not only
the Austrians, but the Russians, also appeared on the fron-
tier with 5,000 men. They have entered Cracow without
any resistance from the insurgents, between 500 and 600 of
whom are said to have surrendered. The Prussian corps
also came over the frontier yesterday, and is expected to
arrive in the course of to-day." Some of the French Oppo-
sition papers assert that the insurrection is still spreading i
other places, but we have great doubts of the intelligence
We place more confidence in a statement in the Steele re-
specting the sympathy expressed in Germany for the suffer-
ings of the Poles, and evidently hope that it will yet pro-
duce good results. Could public opinion only be awakened
to the cruel treatment to which this brave nation has been
subject, even the three great Powers might be compelled to
revise their decisions and grant redress. That journal
says : _

" The sympathies of all Europe are awakened as ener-
getically and as warmly as in the year 1831 in favour of the
Polish nation. Hereafter it will we impossible to suffer a state
of affairs to exist which has produced such deplorable conse-
quences. Public opinion in Germany has declared itself
with extraordinary unanimity on the subject. Everywhere,
but particularly in Saxony and in Prussia, the most active
demonstrations have been made in favour of Poland. The
Silesian journals state that. every class of society is animated
by a similar feeling, and anti-Russian demonstration was
never so strong. Europe cannot neglect such a warning ;
the cause of Poland is that of justice, and can never be
effaced. There is but one mode of re-establishing the balance
of power in Europe, fatally destroyed by the sacrifice of Po-
land, and that is, to submit the stipulations of the treaty of
Vienna to an equitable revision. The sword of revolutions
will one day resolve the difficulties which have been nezlected
by pacific negotiations."
The French Deputies who had met on Monday with a
view to render every assistance to the cause have published
the following appeal to France :
"The efforts making by Poland to regain her nationality,
the claims to which are so solemnly inscribed in treaties,
claims which the Legislative Chambers of France recal each
year to the attention of Europe by unanimous votes ; the
heroic courage displayed by the people of Poland, who brave
death in the most sacred of causes; the sad reflection that
new martyrs are at this moment sealing with their blood
their faith in the power of right—these circumstances have
produced a profound emotion in France. All parties, forget-
ting their divisions, concur in the sympathy which is shown
in all quarters, and the undersigned, feeling the necessity.
of taking part in the manifestation, have opened the follow-
ing subscription."
The subscription, up to Tuesday evening, amounted only
to 6,000 f. (240!.), but the appeal had produced a striking
sensation, and it is expected that considerable sums will yet
be raised, if not to aid the insurrection, at least to relieve
those who have suffered in the attempt. We quote from
the papers indiscriminately the follow ing remarks on the
subject, in which most persons will cordially concur
CONiaiTITTIONNEL.—" We hope that every one in the
Chamber, without distinction of party, will join in this
demonstration. The news from Poland, unfortunately, ap-
pears unfavourable enough to lead to the belief that there
will soon be wounded men and fugitives to succour. A.
common sentiment of humanity, united with the remem-
brance of the vote passed each year in favour of Polish
nationality, will determine the whole Chamber to give Po-
land this mark of sympathy. We see with pleasure that all
epeinnsitointustinn
aresubscribesrepresented
(n in
e b ot d francs:'
NATIONAL.—" committeethe . formed. The
c)
NroAuTgbrosrEAut.re—pe"lThist
wstirillkeipn
tahreatuintasnriimgboteuserien
seared, and
nationsifestati as on will
sread
through
egakmtoan
govern-
ments I Both one and the other will perceive that opinions
awndbeints
nthateionqauleitaytioanlwiasyPeoellainvde
that force may oppress and torture it, but never destroy it !
pv esein th_atiietle has
vain—violence
preowuseerdle, will
powerless—
its
The insurrection may be put down,but the sentiments which
nitobtabsegeiffvaeenebdirlthEtflo.,eratreedth will b
e hoe
its duration even will change nothing in the eternal truth of
right, and the oppressors will never succeed in establishing
an unjust authority, of which an heroic persistence has so
often interrupted the course." .
Tim Emu; (Government paper).—" We are disposeJ to