The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-15 00:00:00

own admission can bear no other construction.
.His words are :—" If it be said that I
asserted, that I acquiesced in private in
the opinion that from the dreadful condi-
tion of Ireland for the sake of preserving
peace and order—if, I say, lam accused of
asserting that something must be dotie, then I
freely admit this. * * * What matters whe-
ther I stated so much at Brookes's or the
Athenaeum ? I ask any man whether such
an assertion is tantamount to the allega-

tion of my favouring the Coercion Bill ?"
From this we infer that some unguarded ex-
pressions had been used, and Mr. SHELL would
have done wisely to have admitted them on the
outset. Had he done so, every one would have
applauded his candour, and turned with disgust
from the accused to the accusers. But no—
Mr. O'CONNELL would not allow Mr. SHELL

to open his mouth, and even last night, when
there was no honourable alternative but an ex-
plicit reply to Lord ALTHORP'S question, he
again interferes and protests against any de-
claration. This might be the advice of a friend
but it was not friendly advice. Mr. SHELL
wisely rejects the advice, and at last ad-
mits certain expressions, which others had
gathered up and retailed as proofs of guilt. The
admission at once acquits him of the only serious
charge. Had he persisted in silence, would not
his enemies, and would not many of his con-
stituents, say—why concealment, if there is
nothing to conceal ? Mr. O'CONNELL knows
as well as any one the truth of the saying, omne
ignotum pro magniflco est. The result of the
inquiry however will have good effects. It will
teach Ministers not to place too much confi-
dence in tale-bearers—in those malignant per-
sons to be found in every establishment, who,
without possessing one good quality, endeavour
to ruin the fair fame of others by retailing, as
Mr. SHELL says, " the sweepings of clubs
and coffee-houses, after dinner conversations,
and unguarded expressions."

The Paris papers of Thursday contain no
public news of importance. Affairs in Spain—
even though the Carlists were increasing in
force, twenty thousand being said to be under
arms in Navarre alone—were, it seems, going
on satisfactorily. The Cortes were stated in
Paris to have been convoked by a decree dated
on the 6th inst. Free trade in corn and flour
had also been ordained ; and a decree of enrol-
ling a National Guard throughout the kingdom
had been reported to have received the sanction
of the QUEEN REGENT.
FRENCH FUNDS.—Paitts, FEB. 13.
Five per Cents., 105 f. 95c.. 70c.
Three per Cents., 76f. 15c. 76f.
Bank Actions, 1,750 f.
Rente de Naples, 911. 70c.
Roman Five per Cents., 92
Rente d'Espagne, Five per Cents., 25.
Rente d'Espagne, Three per Cents., 38.
Royal Spanish Loan, 72.
Rente Perpet. d'Espagiie, Five per Cents., 60.
Belgian Loan, 1831, Five per Cent., 98.
EXCHANGE ON LONDON.
One month, paper, 25C 27%c. ; money, 25f. 27%c.
Three months, paper, 25f. 12%c. ; money, 20f. 1234 c.
—Ours Authentique.

German papers, under the head Berlin, -speak,l
of the last despatches received from St. Peters
burgh, being so favourable to the prospect of
continuance of peace, that a considerable reduc-
tion of the army is talked of in the highest
circles—which, however, is not believed to be

likely to take place until the termination of the
Congress.

VIENNA, FEB. 4.—Five per Cent. Metalliques, 96 ; Four per
Cent., 85f ; Bank Stock, 1226.—Allgemeine Zeitung, Feb. 9.