The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-17 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Th' only Ministerial changes consequent on the
,nations of Lord Grey and Lord Althorp were ti-
na,ly determined yesterday. Lord Althorp, as pre-
viously announced, resumes his office of Chancellor of
the Exchequer, and Leader of the House of Commons.
Lord Melbourne, therefore, is simply Premier of the
late Administration ; Lord Duncannon is the new Se-
cretary of State for the Home Department, and will
be immediately called to the Upper House—as, by
statute, only two Secretaries of State can sit in the
House of Commons. This appointment will give
general satisfaction. The political principles, good
sense, and capacity for business of Lord Duncannon,
are universally acknowledged. A vacancy will conse-
quently be occasioned in the representation of Not-
tingham. It is rumoured that the first Commissioner of
the Woods and Forests has been offered to Sir J. C. Hob-
house, and it is reported that the Right Hon. Baronet
will be proposed for Nottingham in the place of Lord
Duncannon. We have not learned whether any change
will be made at present in the government of Ireland.
Lord Durham, therefore, is net included in the resus-
citated Ministry ; and we do not hear that any fur-
ther changes are meditated. The House of Commons
meets this evening, when any additional facts con-
nected with the Administration will probably transpire.
The address to Lord Althorp, signed by about 240
members, was presented to his Lordship yesterday,
by Mr. C. S. Lefevre, with a circular letter from Sir
John Byng, Mr. Pendarves, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Ban-
neiman, Mr. Tennyson, and Mr. Lefevre. Parlia-
ment will, of course, now resume its sittings, and pro-
ceed to the completion of the pending' business of im-
portance ; but it is understood that the session will
be brought to a close as early as possible.—Morning
Chronicle.

It will be seen from our Parliamentary report that
the Lord Chancellor stated in the House of Lords last
night that " the Government is now formed." The
arrangements will be formally communicated to the
two Houses this evening, in the Lords by Lord Mel-
bourne, and in the Commons by Lord Althorp. A
disposition was manifested by the Marquis of London-
derry to create a premature discussion on the subject
of Lord Althorp 's appointment ; but a feeling of
propriety induced the Noble Marquis's own friends to
check him. Lord Londonderry, indeed, with a
childish impatience, put the public a little too soon in
possession of the warfare that is to be waged
against the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The
Noble Marquis " wished to be satisfied whether
the right hand,' according to the expression
of the Noble Earl lately at the head of the Go-
vernment, was to form a part of the new administra-
tion ? In consequence of the resignation of the
right hand' of the late government, that government
had been virtually dissolved, as they had been told in
the other house of parliament, and he wanted to know
whether the noble Viscount so dissolved was still Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer—whether the right hand'
had come back to the body ?" The Duke of Rich-
mond called Lord Londonderry to order for his irregu-
larity. ; but, the Lord Chancellor, withouthesitation, told
him "that he agreed with his noble friend who was lately
at the head of the government, and with the noble Mar-
quis who had adopted his expression as the right one,
that in whatever administration his noble friend took
part, he must form the right hand' of that admi-
nistration. He was ready to answer the noble
Marquis's question, and to say that his Noble Friend
was still Chancellor of the Exchequer. He must be
permitted to add, that he could not fancy any Admi-
nistration complete, without his Noble Friend's as-
sistance." It was allowed even by the Duke of Wel-
lington, that Lord Althorp is under no necessity to
resign his seat. An intention to resign is not a re-
signation, otherwise Lord Althorp could not continue
to act as Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Chan-
cellor stated only the truth when he said that he could
not fancy any Administration complete without his
Noble Friends assistance. No one will accuse Lord
Althorp of anxiety for office ; but the anxiety shown
by the House of Commons for his continuing to lead
them must be very gratifying to his Lordship. He
will, however, have occasion for all his philosophy to
enable him to parry the blows which are about to be
aimed at him on account of the Coercion Bill.—
Morning Chronicle.
As the House of Commons assembles this day, we
shall not remain much longer in ignorance of whatever
changes the Ministry have undergone. In the mean
time we are enabled to announce, on the authority of
a conversation in the House of Lords, that Lord Mel-
bourne kissed hands yesterday as Pirst Lord of the
Treasury and . head of the government, having, as
the form implies, sueceeded in completing his admi-
nistration. Besides the appointment of Lord Dun-
cannon to the Home office, Sir John Hobhouse was
spoken of as likely to succeed his lordship as Chief
Commissioner of Woods and Forests. There was no
mention, however, of the disposal of the Irish Secretary-
ship, whether it is to be re-cast or is still to remain with
Mr. Littleton, whose indiscretion was the origin of
the changes that have taken place. But the period is
at hand when the whole arrangements will be divulged,
and nothing but their probable duration and consis-
tency left to conjecture. It will be some assistance
towards forming a correct opinion on this part of the
subject, to remember that Lord Melbourne's go-
vernment is not a new government, but the old one,
all the worse for wear. Another inquiry that will
suggest itself in relation to this topic is the estimation
in which Lord Melbourne is himself regarded by the
public. We stated, upon a former occasion, that his
Lordship was little known. The fact is, that he never
has been an active Member of Parliament. Though
always connected with the Whigs, he was, at one pe-
riod of his life, accused of a strong aristocratic bear-
ing. It is true he may have changed his principles
since, but, if so, he has kept his own secret better
than some of his colleagues have kept the secrets of
the Cabinet. We may, .therefore, infer that the in-
gredient of popularity does not occupy a very promi-
nent place among the qualifications of the new Pre-
mier. Even his most attached friends will hardly
claim for him, on the score of personal influence, one
tithe of the power possessed by Lord Grey. What
then, though lie may have Lord Althorp for his right
hand, and perhaps Mr. Littleton for his left, we can-
not forget that they are a pair of hands which have al-
ready disposed of one head, and may, before they are
much older, dispose of another to as little advantage.
It is evident, from the tone of the questions put
yesterday and the day before in the House
of Lords, that the Tories contemplate another
chance on the Irish Coercion Bill. That measure,
after all the disclosures which have taken place, does
certainly stand in a most difficult position. If the
Ministry persist in retaining the obnoxious clauses
contrary to the avowed opinions of some of its leading
members, how will they meet the House of Commons
with anything like argument in their mouths ? On
the other hand, if the clauses are given up, how will
the other Members of the Administration meet the
House of Lords, whose opinions they have professed
to coincide with, as to the absolute necessity for re-
taining the measure in all its original force, with the
exception of the courtmartial clauses ? But to-day
will, probably, show us the course which things are
about to take in this respect. Still, however, sup-
posing present difficulties surmounted, we cannot hold
out to, Ministers or their friends the prospect of a long
continuance in office. With the exception of the Lord
Chancellor, there is no one Member of the Cabinet
whoselalents are of that commanding kind which is
calculated to give permanency to power, and a renewed
defeat of the Whigs would necessarily prepare the way
for a coalition, if not for a more complete triumph of
the Tories, under the mitigated form which that party
must assume if ever it be their fate to return to office
again.—Morning Herald.
Lord Melbourne appears to have found the con-
struction of his Cabinet a very difficult task. At the
moment at which we write we have reason to believe
that no arrangements have been definitively settled ;
and when we enumerate the rumours which are in
circulation, we must premise that we have no ground
for deeming them more than rumours. It is rumoured
that Lord Althorp, after many difficulties and denials,
has finally consented to -resume the Chaneellorship of
the Exchequer. We have never given Lord Althorp
credit for very acute sensibility to shame or very con-

stant recollection of self-respect ; but his return to
office in these circumstances argues an insatiable vo-
racity of ridicule, an umplencliable passion for re-
proach. ['his man was the leader of the House of
Commons, the right hand of Earl Grey's Administra-
tion. He opened a confidential negotiation with one
whom he has advised his Royal Master to denounce
as an enemy to the public peace ; and in the course
of that negotiation he sanctioned the disclosure of
the yet incomplete purposes of the Cabinet, and the
betrayal of the private sentiments of his colleagues. In
contempt of the obligations which the success of this
negotiation imposed upon him, he prepared, for the
continuance of Whig supremacy, to support a measure
which he considered an unnecessary violation of the
principles of the Constitution. Dragged into the
light by the demagogue to whom he had cringed, he
stammered out a tardy confession of his meanness, and
hurried away from the high office " which he could no
longer hold with credit to himself or advantage to the
country." We call upon Lord Althorp to say what
circumstance has occurred which can remove that
unfitness for political power which was apparent to
the eyes of his friends before it was visible to his
own. Is he not still the Statesman who denounced
Mr. O'Connell as a public enemy, and courted him as
a private ally ;—who condemned the provisions of
the Coercion Act, and undertook to support their
revival ;—who made promises so rashly and broke
promises so readily that it was hard to say whether
in the making or in the breaking there was the deeper
sin ? Having reasons for resigning office, why does he
resume it ? Having reasons for resuming office, why
did he resign it ? In his own consciousness will be
his punishment. Who will envy the Chancellor of
the Exchequer when he shall once more " appeal to
the confidence of the House,"—when he shall once
more be " inaudible in the Gallery,"—when he shall
again be applauded for his " excellent intentions," and
greeted with acclamation upon his re-appearance as
" honest Lord Althorp." It is rumoured that Lord
Duncannon is to be the Secretary of State for the
Home Department, and to be brought into the House
of Lords. It is rumoured that Sir John Hobhouse is
to take care of the Woods and" Forests, and to be brought
into the House of Commons. If these appointments,
or appointments at all resembling these, shall take
place, what shall we think or say of Lord Melbourne ?
Believing the disputed clauses of the Coercion Act to
be necessary, he confers place and power on men who
dispute the necessity of them. Believing that the pro-
fligate ambition of Mr. O'Connell has created in Ire-
land the disorders which warrant the application of this
fearful remedy, he places in the office to which the ad-
ministering of the remedy principally belongs, an indi-
vidual who rejoices in Mr.O'Connell's friendship, who
has benefitted by Mr. O'Connell's patronage. When
we remember that Lord Althorp resigned office because
circumstances had occurred which rendered his retention
of it useless and discreditable, and that Earl Grey re-
signed office only because Lord Althorp had resigned it,
when we perceive that the reason which induced Lord
Althorp to resign office still exists, and that the reason
which induced Earl Grey to resign office is removed
—when we see that Lord Althorp is, nevertheless, in,
and that Earl Grey is, nevertheless, out—it is impos-
sible not to suspect that amidst much mistake there
has been some design—that amidst a heap of accident
there has been a grain of intrigue. The whole affair
• reflects little honour upon any of the parties who have
been concerned in it. The public business has been
for two weeks at a stand—the public mind has been
for two weeks in a state of great anxiety. After all,
what change has taken place ? Earl Grey leaves the
Cabinet, and for his leaving no cause is assigned.
Lord Duncannon enters the Cabinet ; and for his
entering it, it will be hard to assign a cause.—Morn-
ing Post.

Nothing has yet been made public as to the Minis-
terial arrangements beyond that which the Lord Chan-
cellor communicated to-the House of Lords last night
—viz., that Lord Melbourne is in fact First Lord of
the Treasury, and Lord Althorp Chancellor of the
Exchequer. The rest are taken for granted. It
appears that the new Prime Minister kissed hands at
the Levee yesterday. The practice requiring that no
occupant of a Ministerial office shall be considered out
until the seals have been actually transferred to other
hands, Lord Althorp, notwithstanding his ostensible
resignation of the Chancellorship of the Exchequer,
still retains that post, and need not proceed to a new
election at Northampton. We presume that for the
higher office—which seems now to have become a
patent one—of leader of the House of Commons, the
Noble Lord has kissed the inky palm of Mr. Joseph
Hume, although the Court newsman has forgotten to
mention it. Being among those who generally look
upon the choice of certain individual Ministers by the
Crown as a pledge for the adoption of a corresponding
line of policy by the Cabinet, we have been compelled
to recognize also the converse of that proposition in
Lord Melbourne's retention of a number of elderly
gentlemen, who would not resign their places, but
whose efficiency, if it extend to anything beyond the
receipt of the public money, is, undoubtedly, no
pledge for the liberality of their measures, but the
reverse. We have already brought some of these
noble place-holders before the public eye, and it is
our duty to keep them there. There remains, then,
but a single course for this reported Cabinet, which is,
to rebuke the public dissatisfaction and despondency
by giving us measures, since it has not men to offer
us. Any Government which exhibits among its
members a catalogue of tried and honoured names can
-manage to live, for some time at least, upon credit.
Its promissory paper at a year or two's date will be
accepted willingly by the people ; but a house of no or
of mixed character must put down cash upon the nail.
Its word no man will take—its ways and means must
be visible, tangible, and forthcoming. If it pay not on
demand, it is at once insolvent. Such is the case
with a Cabinet of " shreds and patches." It must
steal a march upon authority, and silence anticipation,
by the promptitude of its public measures, thus sub-
jugating the most powerful of all enemies—opinion,
and converting it into a steadfast ally. If Lord Mel-
bourne's Government pursue this course,—if it satisfy
the country of its eagerness to complete those correc-
tions of abuse, those repairs of what is defective, those
purifications of what is corrupt, and curtailments of
what is superfluous in the institutions, practices, and
expenses of the Monarchy, little will it disturb the
minds of the people of England, whether the effect
has been produced by men of known and noisy, or of j
humble and hitherto unaccredited, reputation. It is j
in this hope, to which we would willingly, if
possible, cling, and our chief encouragement to
which is founded on the personal qualities of
Lord Melbourne, as well as on the straits to which his
position has driven him, that we are disposed to wait
for a while, and see what sort of pace the noble Vis-
count and his colleagues will start at. The people will
watch them suspiciously—the press will no doubt im-
partially. Lord Brougham, who lately held a very
different opinion, is inclined, we see, to force a " right
hand" upon Lord Melbourne, as Mr. Hume has a
leader upon the Lower House. We trust that in this
case the right hand " will forget its former cunning,'
and leaving the disreputable paths of vacillation, retro-
gression, procrastination, and uncertainty, afford at
least some reasonable ground for guessing what it is
that Government means to do, from hearing its de-
clared intentions. It is said that Sir John Hobhouse
has been offered, and will accept, together with a seat
in the Cabinet, the Woods and Forests, vacated by
Lord Duncannon. The death of that respectable ve-
teran, Mr. Michael Taylor, yesterday at two o'clock,
has occasioned a vacancy for Sudbury, which it is ima-
gined Sir J. Hobhouse will certainly supply. Lord
Duncannon, the new Home Secretary, is to be called
to the House of Peers, it being understood that not
more than two Secretaries of State can be members of
the House of Commons.—Times.

What is the first duty of a government in the re-
mission of taxes ? Assuredly to remit those which,
by opening new channels of commerce, will create em-
ployment for the largest.quantity of labour. To these
reflections we are led by the observations of some of
our contemporaries, upon the alterations recently pro-
posed in the Custom duties by Mr. P. Thomson, and
which we were the first to lay before the public. It
would have been well for the country had the principles
which are now acted upon at the Board of Trade
guided and influenced the various reductions and al-

terations which have taken place in our Excise, Cus-
torns,•and Taxes, since the peace. In looking over
the list of taxes repealed since that period, every one'
must be struck by the great proportion which the taxes
reduced, or repealed, .affecting the landed interest and
the aristocracy, bear to those which affect industry and-
conamerce. Legislation appears to have followed a
course exactly the reverse of that which interests the
largest and most necessitous portion of the community.
By far the largest portion of the reductions, previous
to 1831, consist in the property tax, malt tax, and
beer tax. Out of the 33,000,0001. of taxes reduced
from 1814 to 1830, 23,000,0001. were produced by
the three items alluded to. What do the industrious
classes benefit by the repeal of the property tax, which
amounted to 15,000,000/. ? How much would every
labourer and artisan, every one engaged in commerce,
have been benefited had the Excise been reduced that
amount, or the whole of the Customs duties abolished ?
What, again, does the peasant or labourer benefit by
the reduction of the duties on malt and beer, if he has
not employment to enable him to purchase them ? We
are amongst those who have advocated the repeal of
the house duty, because by its repeal great freedom
will be given to the exercise of electoral rights, and
this we think of the first importance, more so even than
if that amount had been applied to the repeal or re-
duction of Customs or Excise duties. But not so the
window duty, at least only in a very small degree. It
is a tax which falls directly on the possessors of large
houses, and theSe are not what are generally termed the
industrious classes. We say, how much would the
trade and commerce of the country have been improved,
and how many thousands of poor families have been in
regular employment, and how many thousands more
would have enjoyed increased comforts, if—instead of
saving the rich man the direct tax upon his property, or
the country gentleman the tax upon his malt—the govern-
ment of that time had repealed, as they might have done,
nearly all the Excise duties. Would not commerce have
received an impulse that would have created employment
fur thousands ? For these reasons, we say, it would have
been well if the Board of Trade had been actuated by
the principles which appear to predominate at the pre-
sent moment. Let us look at the effect of the reduc-
tions which have been made since 1830. Printed
calicoes, coals, candles, soap, cotton wool, tiles, some
of the minor assessed taxes, the house duty, and now
various customs duties on oils, fruit, and coals. Can
any one doubt that the interests of the industrious
classes have been well consulted by the selection of
the articles enumerated ? For the benefit to the
calico-printers—to know the new mode of printing
which has arisen since the printer was freed from all
restraint, the inquirer need only consult any one from
Manchester. The same again of the duty on cotton
wool. That cheap light also in the dark and dreary
winter months is useful and important, whether consi-
dered as allowing a family of the industrious artisan to
pursue their avocations beyond the period allotted by
day-light, or whether as giving them an opportunity to
gain instruction after their daily work is finished, can-
not be doubted. That cleanliness will be promoted by
the cheapness of soap, and health and comfort in-
creased, is equally clear ; and that to the southern
counties, and London particularly, the repeal of the
duty on coals has conferred a great advantage, no one
can deny ; but still we say that the poor cannot feel
the full advantage they ought to derive from all these
reductions, until the shackles which now in every way
surround trade are removed, and until by that means
employment is more abundant. To point out this fact
is the object of our calling the attention of our readers
to this subject, To show the industrious classes that
Government is beginning to act upon principles which
by increasing trade will increase employment, is an-
other object we have in view. With pleasure then,
do we contemplate the alterations which Mr. P.
Thomson has proposed in his new Customs Bill, and
in the 'Bill for the reduction of the expenses of ships
entering the poet of London. The actual amount of
saving by these Bills is not much, but by opening the
door to extended commerce, the benefit to the country
will be great. The reduction of the duty on olive-oil
is very important. Our readers are not generally
aware that it is very largely used in the manufacture
of cloth, and that our clothiers, in consequence of its
high price, have been obliged to use inferior oils,
and thus produced a cloth, although equal in quality
to our Continental rivals, not equal in its appearance.
With respect to the boon, as it is called, to the
Northern counties, in the reduction of the duty on the
exportation of coals, we are surprised at the want of
penetration displayed by many in their observations
upon it. The Tory objects to it on Conservative
principles, and feels alarmed that the stook will be
exhausted, and that the manufactures of England will
be destroyed. The Ultra-Radical, on the other hand,
says by this measure the Whigs are throwing into the
hands of foreigners the only advantage we possess, and
taking from the industrious classes the only security
they have for the pre-eminence of our manufactures.
Now verily these are odd objections. Exhaust the
stock 1 Exhaust a stock calculated to last 1,000 or
1,500 years ! This is a degree of caution we could
not expect from those who spent 400,000,000/. or
500,000,000/. of national wealth in a few years ; but
let us turn to the other objection which is more cal-
- culated to excite attention. It is equally unsound,
and disappear the moment the case is examined.
France has coals—Belgium has coals—Holland has
coals ; and the question is whether England, having a
large capital embarked in her collieries, having a very
large population engaged in the coal trade, and an ex-
tensive 'shipping trade, and moreover plenty of coals,
should not export at a moderate duty a mineral which
is sure to command a trade, because it is better and
cheaper than that which can be obtained near the
coast of the countries alluded to. The expense of
freight, duty, export and import duty, will aways secure
to our manufactures sufficient protection. It is not a
question whether we shall supply a country or coun-
tries which have no coals. They have coals; and the
only consideration is, whether we shall employ our la-
bour, capital, and shipping, and produce a given
amount of revenue by supplying foreign countries with
that which we have in abundance, but which they pro-
duce with difficulty. To such opposition as this the
present Government is, we are sorry to say, too liable
—we are sorry that political feeling should prevent
praise being given where it is due. We will not be•
parties to such proceedings—we will censure where we
think it necessary, and praise where it is due ; but, at
the same time, we cannot avoid saying, that if Govern-
ment, impeded and thwarted as it is in the reforms it
contemplates, whether in Church or State, by the
House of Lords, and a very powerful body in the
House of Commons, will but zealously attend to the
commercial relations of the country, and thus contri-
bute to the employment and happiness of the people,
more real and substantial good will be done than by
centuries of discussion on abstract principles. We
shall call the attention of our readers in a few days to
the report which has been published on the commer-
cial relations between France and England.—Morning
Advertiser.

EXTRAORDINARY TURKEY COCK.—There is at
present in the possession of a lady residing in East Lothian,
a Turkey-cock, who has actually batched a brood of chickens ;
last season, during the period of incubation, this same bird
regularly took the place of the hens when they got off their
nests to feed, and when the young birds were hatched, he
brotded them with the greatest care, regularly taking them
under his wings during rain ; this season, however, it having
been discovered that he was sitting on rotten eggs (for want
it is supposed of better amusement), to humour his singular
fancy, a number of common hens' eggs were given him,
which he has most steadily sat on and hatched, and he is now
strutting about the yard, attended by his progeny, to whose
wants he is most sedulously attentive.—Edinburgh Eveniny
Courant.

HEROIC CONDUCT AND PRESENCE OF MIND OF
A LADY.—The other day a baker's bread-cart, going along
South-street, Toxteth-park, the horse, a spirited animal, took
fright at a drunken man lying in the road, and sprang over a
wall into an adjoining field, which uas some feet lower than
the lane, where it was suspended on the one side, whilst the
cart remained on the other. There were soon many collected,
amongst whom were several men, yet none attempted to ex-
tricate it from its perilous situation ; but a young and amiable
lady residing near, on observing the accident, calling to her
servant for a knife, courageously went over, regardless of the
horse's kicking, and by. cutting the harness let it fall to.the
ground, when, after lying a few minutes (for it was nearly,
strangled), it got up with little or no injury, and but slight
damage to the cart. The lady received the grateful thanks of
the owner for the preservation of a valuable animal. The boy
who was driving also escaped uninjured.—Liverpool Albion.