The Sun.
London, England, 1834-11-21 00:00:00

STATE OF PUBLIC OPINION

IN THE COUNTRY.

LYMINGTOIV.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The Tory party can now be struggling for ascen-
dency from two motives only, namely—the love of power for
its own sake—a paltry motive—or, the desire to resist the
further progress of Reform. In either case, every true Re-
former should oppose them by every means in his power.
Why did not the late Ministry satisfy the wishes of the peo-
ple? Simply, because they could not. The Lords were a
bar to every measure of a comprehensive nature.
The first act of the Political Drama has been performed
in the reform of the Commons : the second act will shortly
be presented in the reform of the Peers. What is now
going on is merely a little interlude. The great Captain
will remain, perhaps, a few weeks in power, and then a Li-
beral .Ministry must come in, with a carte blanche to deal
with the Lords. After that we may expect to go on pretty
smoothly.

Another word to " measure not men," people. Supposing
it to he possible that the Tories would pursue a liberal sys-
tem of Government, are we to allow the credit of such mea-
sures to be taken from the men who .have given us the
Re-
form Bill, and who legislated upon the principles of right
and justice, and handed over to that party which profess:
to-govern upon the miserable system of expediency ? No 1
The man who would trust the Tories is a traitor to the
cause of Reform.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Nov. 20, 1834. AN OLD SOLDIER.

YORK.
((From the York Courant.)
Last Sunday morning, notwithstanding the soothing chime
of the church-going bells—notwithstanding the cheerful yet
solemn stillness which characterises the Sabbath in this city—
feelings of deep and absorbing interest pervaded the breast of
many an anxious citizen. The papers which arrived that
morning had brought the unexpected intelligence of the entire
breaking up of the Ministry—not the effect of any internal dis-
agreements among themselves—not in consequence of any dif-
ficulties that the elevation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer
to the peerage, consequent upon the death of his noble parent
—but the sovereign act and deed of him who has been styled
the popular King, and, as a title of pre-eminence, has been de-
signated " William the Reformer." What then are the causes
which have led to so strange, so disastrous an event ? Suspicion
strongly points to an influence most improperly and most
unconstitutionally exercised by a desperate party, who have
long been intriguing, and who are madly determined, at all
events, and at any hazard, to regain the helm of power. A
party, who to gratify a vain ambition, and to maintain a sordid
interest, would not scruple, nay would exult in destroying the
nation's fairest prospects, in arresting those measures of im-
provement which are in preparation and in progress, and care
not if the demon of discord and anarchy run riot through the
land, so that they, in the horrid confusion, may but succeed in
refixing the chain of bondage which the free spirit of the
people has broken. Shall they, then, succeed in this attempt?
Are the people thus to be made the puppets of these insolent
domineerers ? Will the people who carried the Reform Bill
in spite, of Tory opposition, and the full power of borough-
mongering influence, submit to them ? Already have they
d2clared that they will not.

HALIFAX.
•
( From the Halifax Express.)
The whole nation has been thrown into a state of agitation,
by the sudden and unexpected explosion of one of the most
alarming political volcanoes that was ever experienced in this
country. The Melbourne Administration has been abruptly
dismissed, without having been allowed an opportunity of even
stating its intentions, much less of proving, by its measures,
either the soundness of its principles or the sincerity of its pro-
fessions. The King has done this. He has turned his back
upon Reform, and recalled to office the Tories,—the most in-
veterate enemies of popular right, and the most unflinching
supporters of every " recognized abuse." The Church,—the
continuance of an exclusive, dominant establishment, is the
grand object of the Conservative party ; and the struggle
which they are now making, is one for the very existence of
Toryism. Its life-blood is in peril ; and they will fight to the
death for its preservation. What, then, is to be done ? The
people must be firm, resolute, and united. Reformers, of all
grades, and of every shade of opinion, must cast away their
petty divisions, and combine, in one powerful phalanx, to re-
sist the common enemy of their country's liberties.

BLA CKB URN.
(From the Blackburn Gazette.)
The Whig Ministry is at an end, and we are absolutely
threatened with a Tory Government. Lord Melbourne, so
lately the chosen confidant of Royalty, has been suddenly and
unexpectedly dismissed, and the Duke of Wellington, the
Great Captain of Conservatism, sent for to occupy his place.
This step is said to be the first in a petticoat conspiracy to reduce
this country to the likeness and similitude of a German State.
We rejoice in the attempt. It will be the means of calling
forth another unequivocal manifestation of public feeling—
another demonstration of the utter hopelessness of carrying on
the affairs of this country in defiance of public opinion—and,
more important still, it will afford the people another oppor-
tunity of reducing Conservatism, and of carrying back to office
the friends of liberty, renewed in office, and with invigorated
power and determination to carry on the mighty work of reno-
vation, begun though not yet half completed.

SHERBORNE.
(From the Sherborne Journal.)
Our readers will remember that we spoke last week of the
shocks which awaited the Melbourne Administration ; but al-
though we looked forward to some considerable changes which
were at the time of our writing in contemplation, we really
had not the most remote idea that such a crisis was at hand as
that which occurred on Friday. Who could have advised such
a step ? Is England in a humour, is she in a condition, thus
to be experimentalized ? We fear not ; we cannot venture to
contemplate what may be the calamities which await us ; but
new elections must take place, and the excitement throughout
the kingdom, in December, will be no guarantee of public
safety ; and, after all, what will be gained?—why, a House of
Commons consisting of two extreme parties, for we assure our
readers that moderation is at an end. We have not spared the
Whig Government when they were in power ; we have, upon
occasions, opposed them bitterly and strenuously; they are
now out of power, our opposition to them ceases, and
we have only to say, that if we were in opposition when
the Whigs were in power, we are certainly still more so
when the Tories possess the Treasury Bench ; be it, how-
ever, clearly understood, that we allude to measures,
and not to men. It is not because the Duke of Wellington is
Premier that we oppose his administration, but because be is
ready to support the Tory principle of Government--a prin-
ciple which is at variance with the views of the reflecting
people of this country, and which can only have the pernicious
effect of creating changes that may be more extensive than is
compatible with public safety. We observe the London
Papers are at work. The Times, with its usual prostitution,
parts from its old friends with a sneer, and embraces the new
possessors of power ; whilst the Chronicle, able, honest, and
sincere, cleaves to its old party, and stands nobly in the breach.

BRISTOL.
(From the Bristol Gazette, Nov. 19. )
This event has come upon the country like a thunder-clap,
as stunning and as unexpected. The first impression in the
public mind was that of unmixed incredulity, succeeded by sur-
prize which is even as yet unabated. There had been no cloud
in the political horizon to foretel the sudden change—no ru-
mours previously current to excite expectation. The fact is
certain and palpable, its reasons are as yet involved in a mist
of obscurity. In this situation of affairs, what has led to this
almost unprecedented manifestation of "sic volo sic jubeo" on
the part of the Monarch must be left to conjecture. • We are
not amongst those who, in the language of courtly servility,
will consent to gloss over an uncourteous act, because its de-
termination must have been communicated in flattering
terms, and accompanied by a personally kind demeanour.
The Whigs have been dismisssd—summarily dismissed—
turned out at a moment's notice, and their resignation of
office-bearers engrossed upon it as its only stamp and its only
warrant, "Le Roy le veut." The country, will recollect why
and when it was that Lord Melbourne consented to assume
office, and rescue his Sovereign from the embarrassing situa-
tion in which he was placed ; whether it be a fit reward for
service to have been used as a mere warming-pan for the most
noble Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, we leave to be
contended by those who implicitly believe in the Constitu-
tional fiction that " the King can do no wrong." Whether
there has been any preconcerted intrigue leading to such a
change in the construction of the Cabinet, we neither know
nor care. The King, whether acting upon his own jugdment
or influenced by the suggestions of others, has thought right
to supersede an Administration which has been the means of
accruing more personal popularity to the Monarch, and more
extensive benefit to the nation, than any Cabinet that has
existed since the House of Brunswick was placed upon the
Throne. The car of Reform has been, we suppose, repre-
sented as travelling at too rapid a rate, and it has been deemed
advisable to put a drag upon the wheel. In the future policy
to be pursued there are, as it appears to us, but two courses
upon which speculation can be exercised with any probability
of correctness. Reform principles are to be adopted, and
Reform measures worked out by the in-coming Ministers, or
their spirit and effect are to be as much as possibly nullified,
and the system of policy of the last four years is to be sub-
jected to a retrograde movement. The former will excite no
surprise in those who witnessed the conduct of the Duke of
Wellington and Sir Robert Peel on the Catholic Question.
We conceive it not only possible but very probable that the
Duke will again turn sharp round upon all his professions and
practices, that his subaltern officer Sir Robert will be as
before obedient to the tap of the drum—that both will feel
neither shame nor compunction in affording another justifica-
tion of the rebuke adminstered to the latter in the walls of
Parliament, that " he would go down to posterity distinguished
only by a life of tergiversation." We repeat that we shall feel
no surprise, but neither shall we feel any gratitude. The Re-
formers will take what they can get, but they will not be thankful.
It will be difficult for them to understand why, if Reform is to
be followed up, the late Ministers have been dismissed at all,
and they infinitely prefer honesty, sincerity, and consistency
throughout the past as pledges for the future, to any promise
or to any act, ample and beneficial as they may be, wrung from
reluctant and insincere converts. But there is yet the other
alternative to which we have alluded. It is also possible and
probable that all further Reforms—Reforms even to which the
King has pledged his word—will be at once checked ; that the
" promise to the ear will be broken to the hope"—that what
has been done is to be undone—that the Irish Church is to
have the active support of the Horse Guards—that the Dis-
senters are to be sternly refused their just rights—the mo-
nopoly is to succeed unshackled commerce—that the school-