The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-08 00:00:00

FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
TIMES.—The Crown has triumphed gloriously.
Sued by a gentleman in an honourable cause, it set
might against right, and privilege against poverty. It
evaded that discussion which would either have justified
its inflexibility or exposed its unfairness ; and availed
itself of those prescriptive advantages in litigation which
antiquity and tradition have conferred on it to debar an
unequal adversary from a fair hearing and a due deci-
sion. In many cases these privileges are viewed with-
out offence. Against rebels or traitors, against con-
spiracy or sedition, in aid of order and for the sake of
peace, their utility is duly recognised. In a contest with
an unprincipled demagogue who has avowed his inten-
tions, and boasted of his power to evade by subtleties and
nullify by stratagems the clear and undoubted spirit of
the law, we willingly invest the Crown officers with all
the arms which may fairly serve to defeat the perilous
attempt. But no such considerations entered into that
great and famous cause which has just been terminated,
as far as the plaintiff was concerned, by the hand which
brings an end to all things. The Baron de Bode neither
attacked the prerogatises of the Crown, nor the pri-
vileges of Parliament ; he was pleading neither for
license nor lawlessness. No seditious or turbulent pas-
sions could have been encouraged by his success, or
were subdued by his disappointment. He only asked for
money which he asserted was justly due to him. The
honour and equity of the State was involved in the
transaction. It was, of course, the bounden duty of the
law officers to protect the Exchequer, and to see that a
sum which might sustain a starving kingdom through a
season of famine was not carelessly paid to an adroit
pretender. But these precautions might have been taken
immediately and infallibly. Dukedoms and domains
are every week claimed by some demented wretches,
but nothing is found more easy than to ascertain the
character of the applicant. If the Baron de Bode's
claim had been an imposition, it could have been un-
masked in a month, and he would have fallen into that
contempt which is always more readily accorded to a
penniless pretender than less uncharitable considera-
tions. But it was notorious that he was what he repre-
sented himself to be, and that his claim was imperative
both in equity and honour. There never was a case
calling so stronly for the prompt and open attention of
the State. A large sum had been paid by the French
Government to the English in trust for a cer-
tain class of sufferers, of which the Baron
claimed to be one. His demand was so great as to
be a matter of consideration even to a kingdom—
an additional reason for candour and circumspec-
tion under the suspicions to which we might
be exposed. It was the obvious duty of the Government
to investigate with the utmost promptitude and accuracy
the claims advanced, and to publish to the nation with
the greatest clearness that flaw in the applicant's title
which disabled the necessary rigour of official justice
from acceding to his petition. Their conduct and our
character would thus have been clear; and it would have
remained for the nation, at its will, to decide on the pro-
priety of recompensing an individual who had been ex-
cluded by accident from a position to which he was justly
entitled by his deeds. Instead of this, the claims of a
helpless remonstrant were evaded by all the legal subtle-
ties which tend to the disrepute of courts and the dis-
grace of the profession; his pleas were met by an endless
cycle of procrastinations and perplexities, and the Eng-
lish nation assumed the character of a dishonest debtor
relying for escape on the cunning of a pettifogging ad-
vocate. The issue has been fatal to our victim and dis •
graceful to ourselves. It is most certain that the unfor-
tunate Baron was within the spirit if he was without the
letter of the law. If it was nothing that his
"prima infantia ceelum
" Hausa Aventinum, bacca nutrita Sabina"--
If his English birthplace gave him no English rights,
his services and sufferings in England's cause at least
conferred some considerations. But the evasions and
tricks of his mighty adversaries, coupled with the im-
port of such decisions as he found it possible to obtain,
cannot but impress the minds of Englishmen, always in-
clined to the weaker and overborne party, with the
belief that we have stooped, for the sake of a heap of
money, to cheat a deserving gentleman out of his
rightful due. " The King's power," says a royal writer,
" loveth judgment;" but the Baron do Bode might have
quoted a plainer text of those who persecuted him with-
out a cause. For thirty years he opposed a resolute
spirit and an intrepid heart to the wearing and wearying
machinations of his powerful foe, but vexation and op-
pression have done their work at last, and he has sunk
into his grave unheard and unrighted, though cheered
with the voice of unwonted friendship and the gleam of
unexpected hope. His claims, of course, descend to his
heirs, who, " thrice armed " in the justice of their quar-
rel, must eventually prove victorious over their gigantic
foe ; unless, indeed, that foe, with a tardy repentance,
voluntarily relinquishes to the children the spoil which
it has so long withheld from the father.
CHRONICLE.—The Alpha and Omega of the schemes
for the relief of Ireland—the quintessence of all the pro-
positions we hear, is, give, give, give. The points on
which there is diversity are only, who is to give, and
whom it is to be given to. While some people are for
giving themselves, ay....
and some would have no objection to make the crisis an
opportunity for receiving. The cry of some persons is,
let England give ; and give to the peasantry, to those
who are really in want. There is charity in this pro-
posal, if not wisdom, when it comes from this side of
the Irish Channel ; when from the other side, it is some-
thing else ; it is the conduct of him who begs for charity,
which, if rarely meritorious or dignified, is excusable
when there is nothing else to be done. But the Irish
landlords next present themselves, and exclaim, give
to us. Lend to us below the riParket rate of interest,
that we may pay off our mortgages ; we shall
then have a large income for our own use, with part of
which we will employ the poor. Or, lend us a round
sum on the mortgage of our estates, which are already
so deeply mortgaged that we cannot raise an additional
farthing fron any other source ; and instead of paying
off our mortgages we will do better—we will employ the
loan in cultivating our lands and improving our estates
for ourselves. This charming scheme for giving to the
poor by means of giving to the landlords, does not seem
to have made many converts among those to whom
the part assigned in it is that of givers. It has rather
provoked them to give the thing a contrary turn
and to demand whether, instead of receiving,
the Irish landlords are not the very persons
who should be required to give. And justly too. If the
working bees are short of winter provision, they have a
claim on their own drones before they can have
any on the bees of another hive. But the ob-
jection common to all these schemes is, that they
consist of giving, and nothing more. That objec-
tion is fatal. Did ever any one hear, was ever any one
so completely out of his senses as to imagine, that the
whole social and economical state of a country could be
made to rest upon giving? Giving, when the whole
labouring population are the parties concerned, is a
thing to be done once, and then largely and generously,
to the full measure of the need. But it is not a thing to
be done at all, save when the object to be compassed, or
at least greatly promoted, is that of so altering
the condition of the receivers, that they shall
not need to look to giving as a permanent re-
source. If this could be accomplished for Ire-
land—and that it could we are fully prepared to
show—we will not venture to say what sum of money
we would not willingly give, and call on others to give,
for so noble a purpose. Or if the habitual condition of
the Irish people were satisfactory, and the present dis-
tress a sharp but passing calamity, as little connected
with the general course of events as the cholera—a tor-
rent which they only required to be helped through, to
be landed again in prosperity on the other side—then,
too, we could join our voices with those who say, give
freely, and ask no questions about the future. But as
things are, we protest with all our force against giving
one additional farthing on plans which hold out no
better promise than that, after a larger or smaller sum of
money is spent and gone, the Irish will be exactly as
they were before. Give as much as you will, but let it
be for the permanent improvement of the condition of the
people. We will not hear of any giving merely to feed
the disease, not to cure it.
POST.—It was on the question of undeniable in-
tegrity—of undeniable fitness to do the honours, and
represent, in its best light, the character of the citizens
of London—on a question affecting Alderman Wood's
qualifications in this regard, the contest has arisen upon
his claim to the civic sovereignty. The Alderman's qua-
lification was questioned and disputed, on grounds that
gave reasons to pause, lest the place and reward of
worth should be given to unworthiness. The Livery-
men of the city of London have been called on, during
the last week, to record their opinion of the merits on
both sides of the ease. Alderman Wood is accused by
the Deputy-Chairman of the Irish Society with having
failed, in his capacity of solicitor to the society, to pay
counsel certain moneys which he had drawn from it for
that express and stated purpose. The Livery have re-
corded, with the tardiness of lazy strength, their opinion
as to the side on which the truth of the question lies,
and with an indolence too usual where no object of private
profit is to be attained,have at last signified their idea that
a man to whose pecuniary dealings grave charges and sus-
picions attach, is not fit to lead City affairs for a year. Thus
tar with respect to the fact accomplished. But will the
honour of the city of London permit, that this scandal of
solemn assertion and counter-assertion, having gone thus
far, is to remain in its present unsatisfactory and dis-
graceful position? If there is a word of " the whole
truth" in the committee's address, their rejected friend
is about as ill-used an alderman as London has produced
since the invasion of Jack Cade. If Mr. Anderton's
declaration of the case be a correct one, we cannot trust
ourselves with the expression that would duly brand the
conduct of those on behalf of whom Mr. Yates subscribed
his name. There has, somewhere, been conduct of no
ordinary turpitude. On which quarter does it rest? Pub-
li•
c
seonutl
db moralityebe i nefil i
inflicted
ttdee
ddp,
or ianvnadtt
he
otchsheaat r,wa
ihcftoeprhoras esyqiebul ier, e
grossly
at the truth
Lord Mayor elect, is, we have every reasonpleasant station of
gtnoa
tlohuPi
nturkna
ani e
it. The gentleman who holds the
individual who will fulfil the necessary conditions of
liberality, undoubted integrity, and the wealth to give
grace and comfort to extended hospitality. It is on all
accounts gratifying, that a character beyond suspicion
should preside over business in the City. But this does
not solve the problem which we think absolutely neces-
sary to be made plain. There still remains the fact that

Alderman Wood is very ill-used, if the solemn asserticns
of his committee are true, and if he did not appropriate
to his private uses money that was entrusted to him for
immediate payment to others; and there still remains the
fact, that if Mr. Andertun's version is right, an audacious
falsehood has been wilfully published, to pervert and
rnish ad the judgment of the public. There still, too,
remains the imp ertant ncces,ity that the business should
be cleared up for the satisfaction of civic honour.
ADVERTISER.—The tenour of the intelligence from
India during the last two or three months has been by
no means of a satisfactory nature; the news last received,
especially, betokens a probably early interruption of the
state of " armed peace" which now prevails in the upper
Seikh i forTeehse, is
roflonigenn y universal
of the Queen-
Mother, of the Indian peninsula. The Punjaub, in
which we were promised such an abundant harvest of
peace and good government for our " moderation," after
at
rreehuyt
of
d t he
rebellion.S
Mother, the dissolute conduct of the chief Minister, Lall
profligacy
scene of
Singh, and the incompetency of the youthful Maharaja,
Dhuleep Singh, are elements which could lead to no
other result. It was to be expected that the warlike
chiefs of the Seikhs would laugh at and despise such a
mockery of a Government—a Government that is
entirely sustained by the British forces. Even this
protection afforded by us is a source of danger to
the Lahore Durbar, inasmuch as it excites a
feeling of mistrust in the minds of the Seikh
soldiery, who, burning to revenge the losses they
sustained at Aliwal and Sobraon, include their pre-
sent rulers in the hatred they bear to their Feringhee
conquerors, and would gladly involve both in one com-
mon vengeance. It is evident that the presence of the
imposing force we have now at Lahore alone prevents a
repetition of the sanguinary scenes which followed the
death of the old lion of the Punjaub, Runjeet Singh, and
that were that force once withdrawn from Lahore, the
murder of every individual supposed to be favourable to
the British power, would be the immediate consequence.
Meanwhile, Ghoolab Singh, a Prince whom ice fondly
imagined we bad rendered completely sub,seevient to our
interests, whom we have raised to sovereign dignity,
whom it might have been thought gratitude at least
would have made our friend, has proved himself our
most dangerous opponent. He is straining every nerve
to injure us, and still further to aggrandise himself.
The hills of Cashmere do not suffice for his desires,
the dignity of a tributary Raja is too petty for
his ambition ; he will be satisfied with nothing
less than the entire dominions of Runjeet Singh.
In this, however, he displays that " vaulting
ambition which o'erleaps itself, and falls on
the other side," for the heterogeneous combination of
states that formed the empire of Runjeet Singh, and
which it required all his talent to keep in order, would
scarcely be restrained by the hand of so distant a coun-
terpart as Ghoolab Singh, whose highest state-craft is a
temporising hypocrisy, and whose policy is entirely des-
titute of the mixture of caution and energy that marked
the Government of our ancient ally. Moreover, the first
step taken by Ghoolab Singh towards the attainment of
his ambitious designs, would bring him into collision
with the British; for it cannot for an instant be supposed
that we would allow the arrangement made by us at so
great a cost—whether wisely or not we will not now
stop to argue—to be thus disturbed. The purposes for
which that arrangement was made would be completely
prevented if Ghoolab Singh were permitted to disturb
the balance of power in the Punjaub, as the sole
condition by which he could retain the least vestige of
authority over the Seikhs would be to lead them again
across the Sutlej, for the double object of plunder and
revenge. One thing, however, seems to be wholly lost
sight of, in the discussions upon this subject—th.at is,
the condition of the people, who form the great bulk
of the Punjabi population, apart from the Seikh sol-
diery, who constitute a very small fraction of that na-
tion, and whose sole occupation is the oppression and
ill-treatment of the rest. There can be no doubt that
the llindoo population of Lahore would hail with delight
any measure that would relieve them from the tyranny
under which they now languish, and that would tend
to assimilate them to the other nations of Hindostan,
who enjoy, directly or indirectly, the blessings of British
rule and British protection. Grave, indeed, must have
been the considerations that could have induced Sir
Henry Hardinge to again surrender this unfortunate
people to the unrestrained licentiousness and brutality
of their Seikh rulers, and it cannot be doubted that a
heavy responsibility rests upon him for so doing. The
question is not, however, yet settled; serious events
must shortly occur, to again bring the whole subject
under discussion, when we hope a wiser and better po-
'icy will be pursued.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—AdmiraI Sir Charles Ogle,
the Commander-in•chief, left to-day at noon, on a short
leave of absence, to attend the annual meeting of the
subscribers to the Royal Naval School, of which he is

president.
The Avenger steam-frigate, Captain Williams, came
into this harbour this afternoon to have her engines
and boilers repaired.
The Eurydice 26, Captain T. Elliott arrived this
morning liein tile kin:mum squaurou. une .e,e,)tuce
has had eleven trials with the Spartan since leaving
England, and in every one she has had great advantage
both in speed and going to windward; and she left the
squadron of evolution without a dissenting voice. The
ships stood thus as to trial:—
Eurydice, first; Spartan, second; Raleigh, third;
Constance, fourth; Vanguard, fifth; Superb, sixth;
Canopus, seventh; St. Vincent and Queen, nearly
equal; Albion, Rodney, Hibernia, and Trafalgar, next.
Steamers.—Rattler seems the fastest and best; Cy-
clops, second; Polyphemus, third; Terrible, fourth; Re-
tribution, far behind.
As regards the Eurydice these results must surprise
every person interested in naval architecture; when it is
considered that the Eurydice (drawing two feet less
water than Spartan in sailing trim, and one foot mean
draught on even keel, and aso stowing her stores and
provisions better) has without doubt proved herself the
most weatherly and fastest on all points, not only beating
the Spartan but the whole squadron of evolution, con-
sisting of vessels second to none in the service, we feel it
must r( fleet the highest praise on her builder, Admiral
Hon. G. Elliot, and her captain (no doubt one of the
best ship sailors in the service), who can thus combine
speed, stowage, and first rate weatherly qualities, with a
light draught of water and one of the most beautiful
models above water in the service.
The Acheron steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander Eun-
lop, arrived yesterday from Woolwich, and came into
harbour this afternoon to embark troops and stores for
Ireland.
The Belvidera, 38, was brought down from her moor-
ings yesterday to be coppered and jury-rigged, to be
sent to the north of Scotland as a store ship for the re-
lief of the prevailing distress in that quarter.
The Hamoaze, navy lighter, arrived on Sunday from
Devonport, with stores.
The Sinbad, navy lighter, arrived yesterday morning
from the eastern depots, with stores.
The Falmouth, navy lighter, sailed this morning with
stores for Plymouth, whence she is to proceed, in com-
pany with the Diligence, naval transport, for Malta,
with provisions and stores.
APPOINTMENTS.
Frederick Marryat, lieutenant, to the Sphynx ;
Frederick Brady, paymaster and purser, to the Rattle.
snake ; Hon. S. O'Grady, George Hughes, Richard
Morris, James Rorie, Robertson, naval cadets, to the
Vindictive ; Henry Hodgson, F. P. Matthew, W. D. D.
Selby, Edward J. Pollard, Benjamin Tozer, Fred.
A.
Fletcher, naval cadets, to the Vernon ; J. G. S. Clarke,
Jenkin IL Thomas, Michael Rowlandson, naval cadets,
to the President ; Nathaniel J. Morphy, naval cadet, to
the Hibernia ; James M‘Donnell, naval cadet, to the
Raleigh ; Charles W. Wilkinson, naval cadet, to the
Dido ; Thomas Collier, boatswain, to the Avenger.
PLYMOUTH, OCT. s.—Her Majesty's ship St. Vincent,
120, Captain John Sheppard, bearing the flag, red at the
main, of Commodore Sir Francis A. Collier, came in
this morning at seven o'clock, under close-reefed fore-
topsail and double-reefed mainsail. The wind is blow-
ing a strong gale from the S.S.E. The St. Vincent
dropped anchor inside the western arm of the Break-
water. She is bound to Portsmouth, but put in here
through strong contrary winds, and left her Majesty's
ship Queen, 110, Captain Sir Henry J. Leeke, in the
Channel, yesterday afternoon. At eight o'clock the St.
Vincent saluted the flag of Port Admiral Sir John West,
which was duly acknowledged, and at eleven o'clock she
exchanged a similar compliment with his Imperial Bra-
zilian Majesty's frigate Constitucional.
s-
-It2u;
;
A
The Diligence storeship, from the eastward, put in on
Sunday morning, bound with stores for Gibraltar.
The Athol transport came in yesterday from Wool-
wich, with one company of Sappers and Miners and one
ofd
Diligence store-ship his Imperial Brazilian Majesty's
company of Artillery forilßee;srtmyth,s uedsahA,ipatsh St.
Vincent, S a 0
r
nodlontreoopcom.
piapnshy an
Ad
arT:
hit loee rrP3e. efier.
ft
to. r eßa rb
l
a doe
packet
came up from Falmouth
mlnertichae,Ssoou; Rnd—ericreurit3:aj2
frigate Constitucional, and the Hon. East India Com-
pany's steam-frigate Moozuffer, besides several merchant
ships, some of which have received damage.
The heavy gale, with the high tide last night, did con-
siderable injury to Mr. Gills' Millbay Pier. The outer
or southern landing platform has been forced up, and the
horizontal beams which supported the stage have been in
some places broken, and in others, through the strength
of the waves, have injured the outer wall in which their
ends were lodged. About ten tons of coals belonging to
the Cork Steam Packet Company,
some empty barrels
and packing-cases, &c., were washed off the pier. The
piles which support the outer part of the platform ap-
pear to be uninjured. Fears are entertained of further
damage next tide, and precautions have been adopted to
meet any emergency.
Three o'Clock, P.M.—Her Majesty's ship Queen has
not yet arrived.
The Buckinghamshire East Indiaman, 1,500 tons, has
just brought up in the Sound.

.
THE COURT.—Durmg the projected early visit of
her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert to
her
Royal Highness the
jesty the Queen Dowager, at Cashiobury. Her Royal
Claremont,puchessof Kentfor a
is few
expected da3-s,
to pay a visit to her Ma.
Highness the Duchess of Gloucester is also expected to
pay a visit to Queen Adelaide at the same period.