The Sun.
London, England, 1834-04-28 00:00:00

and apply himself as sedulously to fill th
pockets of his countrymen as he has done to fill
his own, we shall hail the change with praise,
and give him every encouragement and assist-
ance in our power to proceed in this wholesome
career, in which he cannot do too much. But
from the sample he has given as a repealer, we
doubt his capacity in this respect.

In the Common Council held on Saturday,
a discussion took place on the Sabbath Bill,
when the report of a Committee designating it
as unnecessary and mischievous was agreed to
almost unanimously. We believe only two
hands were held up against the report, and but
one speaker could be found to back Sir AN-
DREW. The main argument of that speaker
only confirms what has been repeatedly urged,
that there are men who, somehow or other,
get seats in the Common Council and in Par-
liament, yet are so ignorant, or so blinded
by the enthusiasm with which they pursue
some favourite doctrine, as to be incapable of
acting or speaking with common sense. One
would hardly have supposed that any person
out of Bedlam would have urged as a plea for
the measure that it was only the re-enactment
of a bill which was already the law of the land ;
yet this was the reply of Mr. WILLIAMS to
those who -called the bill mischievous and un-
necessary. If the agitation of this question only
exposed the folly and absurdity of such men, we
might have allowed them to enjoy their bright
visions in undisturbed repose, but as their
schemes have a most mischievous tendency on
the best interests of religion, and would lead to
the desecration rather than the due observance
of the Sabbath, it would be a crime in any
public journal to allow them to pass without the
severest reprehension. Putting religion out of
the question, the bill is the most barefaced
attempt ever made by a legislator to catch
within the meshes of the law the middle and
lower classes, and allow the rich to escape.
Instead of protecting and favouring the poor,
it would impose on them the• most galling re-
strictions—it would leave the rich in the en-
joyment of their present privileges, and give
strength to the often-repeated accusation, that
our senators have no sense of impartiality and
no community of feeling with those for whom
they legislate. The glaring injustice of the
measure would render the law a mere dead
letter. No force, no army, ever could carry
it into effect, because it is repulsive to
the general feelings of the people. Im-
portant, however, as such considerations are,
they are trifling as compared to the injury done
to the very cause which these men wish to pro-
mote. The discussion in the Common Council
fully bears us out in a former assertion, that
the people, in place of obeying the law, would
begin to inquire on what authority the ob-
servance of the day was originally founded,
and whether they were not, by the com-
mands of Scripture, bound to observe
rather the Jewish Sabbath than the first
day of the week. For the one we have the
example of the primitive Christians, for the
other, a positive command from the highest of
all authorities ; and so much at one time were
some Christians impressed by example on one
hand, and direct authority on the other, that,
for the sake of conscience, they religiously ob-
served both. If the agitation of the ques-
tion is kept up we may expect a new
sect, or rather two new sects—one joining with
the .Yews, and the other, "to make assurance
doubly sure," joining with both Jews and
Christians. A solemn decision of Parliament
on this question is more imperiously called for
than a decision on the question of repeal. In
his conscience (said Mr. PEARSON) he be-
lieved it could not be effected, and it
would be more to the advantage of re-
ligion and morality, more to the interest of
the poor, to let the observance of the
Lord's Day rest where it now stood, upon the
good feeling of the majority of mankind, upon
the impression of early education, reverence for
religious institutions, and that increase of good
example in the higher and middling classes, than
attempt by a new law to encroach on the harm-
less recreations of the poor, while it extended the
legal right of the rich to violate it with impunity.

LONDON,
MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 28, 1834.

Though we detest the selfishness of Mr.
O'CoNNELL, who seeks to agitate, and has suc-
ceeded in agitating, Ireland, in order to fill his
own pockets, and who has been guily of quasi sa-
crilege, in making the sanctity of the altar the
means of extorting pittances from poor people,
we have always advocated, and shall continue
to advocate, the cause of Ireland. Peter's
pence has long ceased to be collected in this
country, and we trust that Daniel's pence will
soon cease to be collected in Ireland. Never-
theless, we insist that. her energies should be
properly directed, and her capabilities made
availing. There is no country in Europe, per-
haps in the world, for which nature has done so
much in the way of external and internal com-
munication. Her shores are surrounded by the
sea with numerous natural harbours, particularly
on the south and western coast, where vessels
of any burden may enter and depart at
any time of the tide, and always ride in
safety. The Shannon, which infinitely sur-
passes any river in England, traverses Ireland
for nearly 200 miles, all the way navigable,
and there are numerous navigable lakes of
several miles in length in Galway and Mayo,
which could not only be easily connected with
each other, but made to communicate with the
Shannon, which itself is a succession of lakes,
nature having formed basins by barriers of rocks,
where a little cut only is required to improve the
navigation, and also to extend and regulate
irrigation.
We observe Mr. LYNCH has given notice of

It has been determined by the Belgian go-
vernment to make an iron railroad at the public
expense. If the English government were to
advance money on the security of the parishes
in the line from the north of Scotland to the
Land's-end for a railroad through the country,
the interest being paid from the tolls, it would
create a vast demand for labour, and render the
operation of the proposed Poor Laws Bill com-
‘ paratively easy. Branch roads would then be
made by private individuals and companies, in
every direction, by which an immense demand
would be created for labour. A similar road
might be made through Ireland, which would
do real service to both countries.

his intention to move for a committee to con-
sider of the improvement of Ireland, which we
trust will not be longer delayed. We do not
pretend to give advice, but we beg leave
to present some considerations to the learned
member for the town of Galway. There are
three leading objects—the navigation of the
Shannon—the improvement of the bogs—and
the superintendence of the roads. For all or
each of these we presume the learned gentleman
means to propose a commission. If so, we
beg leave to suggest that such commission
should hold its sittings as the commission for
Highland roads and bridges did in Westminster.
When that commission was issued in 1802,

The French Papers and private corre-
spondence confirm the intelligence we gave, we
believe exclusively, above a week ago ; viz.,
that M. Burtoos had retired from the Spanish
ministry, and that ALTAMIRA was his suc-
cessor. The Spanish troops have entered Por-
tugal ; and now that the treaty between France,
England, Spain, and Portugal, has been signed,
we may look for a speedy termination of the
civil war which has too long raged in the latter
countries. Both MIGUEL and CARLOS will
doubtless retire, now that England and France
- earnest. They may go to

there were not wanting persons in Scotland
who insisted that the place for its meetings
should be Edinburgh ; as we doubt not persons
in Ireland will now be found who will insist that
Dublin shall be the place of meeting of any
nr,mmissioners for Ireland. If the Scottish
'`) had succeeded in their wishes,
tint one-twentieth part

men of lbw- .
we venture to say that ,
of the benefit woi M have been comm.,"
upon Scotland which his' heed
t i the
eifeda by, I are "seen to ot
. .
that commission with the most perfect satisfaetion Conifor the r friend POPE, whose resources,
' I
liseqiientlY power; will be vastly dimi-
ultimately to the parties 'concerned; andthough) eo
their mistaken notions at the time induced' trished by the establishment of good govern-
some of them to think otherwise. We do not •! merit in Spain and Portugal.
know that local bias, prejudice, and interest I The Vrericfr papers speculate as to the result
are less strong in Ireland than they were of the elections. They say that 30 (,artists
Scotland, to guard against which it is essential
will get in through the aid of the republicans,
that any commission, which may be the result but that, on the whole, the ministry will be
of the motion of the learned gentleman, should
gainers. The business of the sessions is advancing
hold its sittings in Westminster. rapidly, and is expected to close on the 10th.
We have only to add, that if Mr. O'CoN- Letters from NELL will follow the example of Mr. LYNCH; Madrid, which they quote,
give the report that Don CARLOS has fallen