The Sun.
London, England, 1833-07-31 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The decision of the House of Commons on the matter at
issue between the reporters of debates and an individual
Member of Parliament being now ascertained, and the
interest attending it having therefore subsided, it is not
our business to recur to that portion of the question which
affects ourselves, or those whom we felt bound by honour
and good faith to support against a common calumniator.
But there is a circumstance concerning the administra-
tion of the law of ?aliment, the independence of the
press, and the liberty of the subject, which, as mixed up
with the recent proceedings, ought not to be carelessly
passed over, and to it we would respectfully solicit the
attention of our brethren of the periodical press. When-
ever, in former instances, a Member of Parliament
thought fit to engage the House as a party to his quarrel
with any newspaper, the practice was, and we believe it
has been almost invariable to this hour, that the printer
and publisher should be the person called upon to repre-
sent the paper complained of, and to yield whatever infor-
mation might he asked, or to bear whatever... Punishment,
whether light or harsh, might be awarded. In no case that
we are aware of, was it ever permitted by the House that
proprie'ors should he caned upon, as well as printers,
and tlaat victims should be thus multiplied at the will and
pleasure of any man whose spleen might urge him en to
violence or cruelty towards others. The reason for calling
a printer to the bar is so plain as hardly to require expla-
nation. He is a functionary always on the spot—he
knows every paragraph that finds insertion in the journal,
and may be had up at a minute's notice. The printer is
the most intelligent servant employed about the mechanism
of a newspaper. He is generally an ostensible tangible
security tor the good behaviour of the concern—in a word,
he is always forthcoming. The practice of both Houses
of the Legislature, we repeat, has ever been to take the
person whose name stood out, according to Act of Parlia-
ment, as representing the entire journal, and such personal
security has always been deemed sufficient to satisfy the
requisitions of justice as well as law. But although it
may satisfy justice, it will not fulfil the purposes of male-
volence to abide by the most distinct and solemn Acts of
Parliament. In the recent instance a second engine and
victim of persecution was demanded. Proprietors, in
addition to printers, were summoned, as if anything
could be gained from them which the printer might not
to the full as readily furnish, if not more so. This is a
novel expedient, and one which appears rather ominous
for the freedom of the Press. Why should Mr. O'Connell,
the professed crusader of liberty in his out-of-door
speeches,—why, we ask, should he exact double measure
of punishment for the objects of his vengeance beyond
that with which better men, and of more eminent station,
have hitherto been content? He would have had a
woman to the bar, had he not been shamed out of it.
The first step towards tyranny is everything. This
attempt at it would never have been endured by an
unreformed Parliament. In the days of Lord Liver-
pool, Lord Castereagh, or Mr. l'erceval, the rankest
Tories that ever ruled this country, no such vindic-
tive aggravation of the law would have been aimed at.
But by a " Liberty-bay," and in a reformed Parliament,
the plot seemed easy and smooth. Who, then, were
Mr. O'Connell's bottleliolders on the occasion ? Look
in another column and reckon 50 of them, including
tellers. Out of the 50, 37 were new Members,—men
who, before the representative st stem was purged, had
never been trusted with seats in the House of Commons,
—arid whose first requital of the confidence placed in them
by a reformed constituency has been a blow at the free-
dom of the press. Of and for England we are happy to
state, that although her Members exceed the Scotch and
Irish united in the proportion of 3 to I, yet of the 50
who were for dragging our printer and brother proprietor
to the bar, only 36 individuals from every part of Eng-
land could be mustered. The gratitude of the press is,
therefore due in a larger degree to Irish gentlemen tarred
with O'Connell's stick, than either to Englishmen or
Scotchmen, for this departure from all former precedents
in favour of the subjugation of the press.—Times.
The Irish Church Reform Bill has at length passed
through its most dangerous route in the Lords (the third
reading) by a majority of fifty-four. After some few
Tory antics, the measure has been decently rescued from
the claws of the caballing Conservatives, although the
Commons will probably meet their Lordships on the sub-
ject of some of the Amendments," wed return them
tor considerathm. We do not doubt the power of the
hostile Peels to have cast out the Bill if it had answered
their palpable purpose—that of wresting the Government
from Lord Grey. But opposition was inconvenient when
they discovered, a month since, that their industrious
plots fur deposing Ministers would not succeed ; and
they, therefore, wisely swallowed the black draught, lest
by refusal they might be forced in a short time to take a
double dose. The real Tory Aristocracy of property,
and nebility of birth and fortune, would do well t
refl,•ct during the rec,-ss, before the second session
of the reformed Parliament, on the political ch 1-
aster and transparent objects of the party lead-
ers, who whip them astray, and endanger the
exi,tence of their estate. The rapid posting
of Lind Lyndhurst from his Circuit duties has been
abortive. DJes any sincere Tory opponent of Church
Reform give that Noble and Learned Baron credit for a
grain ot real interest in the cause of Ceristianity, or the
Protestant Establishment of England, or belitve, that in
affecting a zeal for that establishment, he is guided by any
other motives thin those t f expediency? The Ex-
Ceaneellor's anxiety for religion is derived from the same
source to which we are indebted fur his enlightened and
humane views on law reform. Lord Lyndhurst wou d
do well in future to confine himself to his judicial duties ;
and it would be beasr that the House of Lords should
pllow Lady Lyndhurst to use his proxy during his absence
art Circuit, than that the country should be deprived of
the services of a Judge which are amp:y if not excessively
paid for out of the public purse. The time is rapidly
approaching when the judicial and political functions will
nee dissevered, and this glaring instance of the inutility and
si.z. dal of their union will probably have the effect of
promm.ing their early separation. Who can doubt that
House would lose little of its efficiency in dis-
the Upper
wir the present and future services of such
pensing
iaegislitiors -s Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Wynford, and Joh,.
taunt Eldon? :and none can gle,tton that the hereelea y
inciple has an injurious tendency to perpetuate a breed
ef Law Lords bj. no means required in the present
times. We anticipate- that the " Jewish Civil Disabilities
Bill" will this week :,:a:rm another stepping-stone for
a display of patty feeling. The piety of the Duke of
Cumber land, and the wise:em of the Duke of Glou-
cester, will probably be cons 'tined with the religious
scruples of the three Law Lords, in opposing the rep-al of
the last remains of bigotry and perseetution for conscience
sake. The second reading of this li:ferat and too long
delayed measure stands for to-morrow ; and we assume,
perhaps erroneously, that the Bigots and Cabalists will
mars take the field. We shall, however, to-morrow
• ,(.:e the question of equal civil rights on ts proper
ft/LIMA,
I"-
and we are glad to see that Lord Bexley move '
case Wt.:ond • reading of the Bill. Religion has been the
greatest stalkite: poise of our times, but is now aged, and
-past work. We do riot believe that a third of the Oppo-
sition Peere, or ball the opposing Bishops, in their votes
oil the It ish Church Bill, ever so much as thought of our
nation if religion or morality. We cono.atulate the coun-
try on the issue of this contest on the Church Bill in the
Upper House. Lord Grey's epeea'a on the second reading
was the ablest argument delivered, and tee tact and mo
deraiion ot his management of the Bill demand the: public
acknowledgment and thanks. The Tory Lords will
probably be called upon to act other " mysteries" and
" moralities" next year, in relation to our Titliea, Church
Rates, and the general refortnaiion of the English
hierarchy. That public question cannot he longer post-
poned or blinked, and the people will not allow the Bi-
shops to be the Jury, assessing their own damages. We
should not marvel should the Carlton Club attain power,
if Mr. Wm. Holmes receives from Oxford the honorary
degree of Doctor of Divinity, and from his grateful poli-
tical friends the first vacant See.—Morning Chronicle.

We know not what the Commissioners of the Stamp-
office are about in suffering the publication of au un-
stamped newspaper (containing all the news which other
journals give, though in a crude and misarranged form),
and hearing the suspicious title of the " Metropolitan
Police Gazette." The police force, which has been very
active in seizing other unstamped newspapers, and cram-
ming prisons with venders, is, doubtless, conveniently
blind to this illegal offence, on the Newcastle principle of
" doing as it will with its own." But, perhaps, a nice
distinction is drawn at the Stamp-office in favour of this
representative of the furze, on account of its defence of
‘• order and property" forgo.° h. But why the " prc.
per)," of the various daily and weekly papers is to be
injured by this very " order" and " property" loving
competitor, it does not condescend to inform us. We
all see what the Stamp•office officials will do in this
air ; but we take leave to warn them that if they \
con-
. 41.--,,,0. ue to make " fish" of one of these unstamped papers,
1.-:! , ad " flesh" of the other, very reasonable ground of suspi-
-7,--;...':\*on will be entertained that this illegal champion of the
.;11.:\,::;>'''"./police is a bantling of the Home Office. In that case we
UP-- especially recommend this specimen of untaxed knowledge
to Lord Althorp.—Morning Advertiser.

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AI ATTHEW BELL, Esq., M.P., has arrived at
his teat,Woolsington, near this town. —.Newcastle Journal.

the enueavou, su r...•

COURT OF CHANCERY, JULY 30.

The Court was engaged nearly the whole day in hearing lu-
natic petitions, none of which were of any public interest.