The Sun.
London, England, 1833-12-20 00:00:00

his Majesty's reply to the authorities of Rouen,
in the disposition shown by the French Minis-
ters towards a relaxation of commercial restric-
tions during the visits of their agents to this
country, and in the greit preparations made to
receive an important commission from Belgium
to treat of a more liberal tariff on the French
frontiers. The Belgic Government, which has
sent this deputation to Paris, is understood to
be equally inclined to relax its system in favour
of English trade, and we ought to spare no
exertions to prevent any eoneession to the trade
of France which might have the effect of a dis-
criminating duty against England. But though
public opinion in France has loudly pronounced
in favour of a change of its commercial policy,
and a relaxation of restrictions by which England
would chiefly profit, we are afraid that partial
interests or particular branches of industry have
grown up so powerful under the system of mo
uopoly and exclusion, as to render any return
to the effective adoption of better principles slow
and laborious. The three Councils-General
of Agriculture, Commerce, and Manufactures,
have been sitting for the last fortnight in
Paris, and on the special invitation of the
Minister cf Trade have taken into their
consideration the most advisable alterations
in the existing tariff. The Minister himself
presided at their united meeting, after each of
the Councils had discussed the proposed mea-
sures in their separate assemblies, and though
neither of them were open to the public, the
journals obtained from day to day an outline of
their proceedings. In this way we are informed
of the general feeling which pervaded the body,
and of the changes which they recommend to
the Ministry and will support in the Chambers.
The most interesting part of their deliberations
turned on the tariff, or import duties on iron,
coal, wool, cotton, and cattle ; and we regret to
say, that so strong was the influence of the
owners of forests and mines, so powerful the
agricultural interest concerned in the growth of
wool and the breeding of cattle, and so irresis-
tible the interference of the cotton manufacturers,
that only a small diminution of the protecting
duties could be obtained from the consent Of ,

those interested Councils. But we have left
ourselves no room to make any observation on
this result, and must therefore defer our further
notice of the subject till another day.—Times.
It is likely the labours of the Corporate Com-
mission will have terminated before the disputes
on its legality are brought to an end. Remarks
have been made in this Journal more than once
upon the inconsistent conduct of the Tory party
in throwing contempt upon the Commission
because it emanates only from Royal authority.

Recollecting, as we do, the time when it was
considered something very like the crime of
treason in that quarter to question the extent of
the Royal prerogative, we must adhere to our
opinion that the Tory Journals, in treating the
King's Commission with contempt, and designa-
ting his Commissioners as mountebanks, have dis-
dainfully trampled on the doctrine of which, during
the continuance of their party in place, they
were the zealous advocates. For our own part,
being no blind idolators of the " patriotic
purity" of Whigs in office, and having no very
high opinion of the qualification for important
public duties of many of the Whigling placemen
who have been dragged, raw and inexperienced,
from deep obscurity at the bar and in other si-
tuations of life to enjoy the profits of unearned
promotion, we can look at their proceedings
without a biassed judgment, and with no othr
view than to the public interests. In that way
we look at the corporate commission, and the
object for which it was constituted. Our
conviction of the necessity of inquiry into cor-
porations with a view to rectify abuses is not of
yesterday, nor since the Whigs came into
power. We held and expressed the same
opinion when the Tories ruled the State,
and when they held the kingly power to be the
great object of their political adoration. But
if we are asked our opinion of the legality of
the present Corporate Commission as to com-
pelling evidence, we do not hesitate to say the
Commission has no such legal warrant, and we
do not know that it has attempted to exercise
any authority of the sort. We are too well

acquainted with the constitutional law of Eng-
land, not to know that compulsory powers of
inquiry could only be given to such a Com-
mission by means of an Act of Parliament.
We find no fault with corporations which,
while not refusing to give information, have
recorded their protest against such proceed-
ing being drawn into a precedent as a matter
of right on the part of the Crown ; for,
whatever may be the conflicting interests of
political parties, we wish the great landmarks
of the constitution not to be removed. We can-

not, therefore, agree with those party writers
who affect to speak slightingly of the opinions
—the deliberate and reasoned opinions—of such
lawyers as Sir James Scarlett and Mr. Follett.
If there are any men at the bar who could write
ignorantly upon this subject, or who could sin
against their better knowledge by sacrificing their
character as lawyers to their feelings as politi-
cians, when professionally called upon for their
opinions, they surely are not the men. Still,
those corporations which are not afraid or
ashamed of disclosures, will give, in courtesy to
the King's Commission, that information which

is required. For ourselves we should have pre-
ferred an Act of Parliament as the source of its
power, which nobody then could question. We
have never been friendly to too great an increase
of the power of the Crown for any purposes.
If used for good one day it may be used for evil
the next.—Morning Herald.

The Siamese twins have had a battle royal at
Athens, Alabama, not with themselves, for stern neeessi,y
makes them pull well together, but with a room full of
visiters. They have been bound over in 250 dollars. A
medical gentleman wished to examine the bond of union,
and being refused any greater privilege than the others in
the room, he called them imposters, and sundry other
hard names. The pair forthwith knocked the offender
down, and were instantly assailed with a kettle of hot
water, chairs, dirks, &c. They narrowly escaped with
their lives, but as they gave the primus strokus sine focus
were beund over for flagellating Dr. Bolus.—American
Paper.

LUNAR ECLIPSE. -- On the 26th of the
present month (December) the moon will be totally
eclipsed. The beginning of the eclipse will be at in
42m, and the end of eclipse 1I h 20m. Digits eclipsed
20 deg. 74 min. from the southern side of the earth's
shadow. The commencement of the eclipse will be visible
to Europe, Asia, Africa, and nearly the whole of Netv
Holland. The end will be visible to the central and
western regions of Asia, the whole of Europe and Africa,
and a considerable portion of the eastern parts of North
and South America. The moon will set totally eclipsed
to the Japanese islands, and rise under the same circum-
stances to the West Indies. The last total eclipse of the
moon visible in this part of the world, occurred on the
2d of September, 1830, which, owing to unfavourable
weather, was very partially and imperfectly observed. In
some total eclipses the moon has entirely disappeared, as
though it were blotted from the heavens; in geneial,
however, it is visible, though involved in the earth's Om-
dlaw, and exbibita a coppery appearance.