The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-17 00:00:00

TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD

REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Sir,—On Wednesday the 12tb, the County Rates and
Expenditure Bill was read a Second Time and commit-
ted to a Select Committee; the Magisterial interest
(if that is the proper term) being with greut difficult)
prevailed on to allow it to be read without a division.
The object of the Bill is manifestly to take down that
interest quietly; and the allowing the Bill to be read
without a division, is evidence that a consciousness of
weakness has penetrated to the proper quarters.
Oa Thursday there were no more than thirty-six
Members present at four o'clock, and consequently there
was no House, Various causes have been assigned for
this; and among others, a desire on the part of the Go-
vernment to see certain questions got out of the way,
before they encounter certain others. Which, unless a
Government is bound to be inconsequential because its
assailants are, is nothing but what might reasonably
suggest itself to anybody else under the circumstances.
On Friday the debate was resumed on the Ecclesias-

tical Titles Assumption Bill. It is a poor thing at best,
and every successive alteration makes it poorer. It would
have been difficult to devise anything more unfortunate
than the clause last proposed to be added ;—that
" This Act shall not extend or apply to the assumption
or use by any bishop of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in Scotland exercising episcopal functions within
some district pr place in Scotland of any name, style, or
.title in respect of such
.district or place, but nothing
herein contained shall be taken to give any right to any
such bishop to assume or use any name, style, or title
which he is not now by law entitled to assume or use."
What is this but to propose to sooth the excited Ca-
tholics with an enactment, saying that Peter shall be
punished if he is a naughty. boy, but Martin and Jack
shall not be punished for doing the selfsame thing, only
this assurance shall not give any right to Martin and
Jack to do the thing for which they are not to be pu-
nished P Compare the effect of these.puerilities, with
that of a short Act reviving the law as it was two years
ago, with practicable penalties.
The interesting point in the night's debate, was the
speech of Sir Robert Peel. Ho is an unpractised speaker,
and consequently in attempting to speak a volume, he
could not remember the order of his chapters. But
this is what mends with use, and with a more
limited direction of the mind to particular objects. What
makes his speech the more remarkable, is that (if there
be no mistake in identity) his addresses to the electors
of Tamwortb, though praised by his hereditary friends,
were meagre. The difference clearly lay, in the differ-
ence of audiences. If the Government are wise, they
will take him on their staff, if it were only to satisfy
the public longing that they would take somebody. On
the present question, he is the only man who has shown
anything like being equal to the subject.
It was in the latter part of his speech, that he came
out; and it showed in him the germ of the man, who, first
or last, must direct the foreign policy of England. Men
may bury their faces in their ledgers, as the ostrich is
said to hide its head in a bush; but the truth is every-
day pressing itself on men with their eyes about them,
that unless England assumes something resembling her
attitude after the Revolution of 1688, the days of her ex-
istenee as a respectable independent power are num-
bered. I may be jeered on the strength of word-splitting,
as was done a night or two before my last; but the
very thing I then said on the subject of the American
President's statement of two million tons of shipping
applicable to warlike purposes, I see in the published
letter of the first admiral of England, who was sitting
in the back benches, and am content. What does it
signify whether the President called it "commercial"
or anything else, so long as it was "applicable to war-
like purposes;" any more than whether it was painted
blue or yellow? The fact stands out, that America,
whose popular literature promises within the life of man
to change the flag at Windsor Castle, has a steam power
afloat, a mere fraction of which, every one towing a sail-
ing vessel of equal tonnage, might if America should
press a quarrel in conjunction with the despotic powers
of Europe, in three weeks bridge over the Channel and
Baltic for all the hordes that could bo collected from
Naples to Petersburgh, with all the railways on the
continent aiding them to move. And this with a strong
party in England, who would seek political power by
assisting there as they assist the Pope, and would readily
adhere to a proposal to admit England into the
Union, on condition of the abolition of all tarifs in Ame-
rica. There is no use in giggling; fools giggle, and
then " Who would have thought it?"
On another point, I would not have you believe there
was anything brought against me but word-splitting. A
Member declared he did not say " income-tax." He
only said " budget," and had a notice on the Votes
demonstrating the income-tax to be what he objected to
in the budget.
But to return, I will again urge upon you, whet:l
endeavoured to express on a late opportunity, though as
neither relating to breeches pockets nor to railways it
is not to be supposed anybody heeded it, that the de-
fence of the country lies more with the Minister ter
Foreign Affairs than with either the First Lord of the
Admiralty or tho Commander-in-Chief, and that unless
a return is made to the policy of our ancestors, beginning
with Cromwell and continued under William, of always
having somebody on the continent interested in keeping
the despotic powers in check, you will as certainly have
to stoop to Absolutist law, as ever your forefathers
would have bowed to Louis XIV if they had had the folly
to sit with their mouths open and see what chance would
send them. .
_

I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.

London, 17th March, 1851.

LAW OF SETTLEMENT.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—ln the debate upon agricultural distress, Mr.
Disraeli and Sir James Graham each made reference to
the necessity of change in the law of parish settlement.
The President of the Poor-law Board has also expressed
his intention of submitting to the consideration of Par-
liament, in the course of the present session, a measure
for an alteration of the law relating to this matter.
It is, therefore, desirable, that all parties should dis-
cuss this intricate question, so that when brought before
the Legislature a perfect
measure may result; this is
the more desirable, for it is impossible to describe the
injuries inflicted upon the agricultural and other labour-
ing classes under the present law of settlement.
The scenes of contention and confusion continually
arising in the counties which have been visited are pain-
ful beyond contemplation; the most undignified contests
ensue between the representatives of the authorities
and the receivers of relief, as to the parish to which they
belong, and the needy from their wretched sick beds or
heaps of straw utter horrid curses upon the law; the
distressed have to contend against the mancauvres of in-
terested parties, who strain every effort, and resort to
every expedient to send them any where and every
where in quest of a home or settlement ; thus every pa-
rish becomes the labourers' enemy, by means of this
aw, having an interest in driving or otherwise placing
difficulties in the way.
Sir James Graham, in his speech, states that there
now exists through the law of settlement 1,500 circles
for the purpose of pauper removals, and that union
settlements would reduce the circles to 600; this, it is
obvious, will not abolish compulsory removals, and for
the continuance of this oppression the ratepayers will
still have to pay. Now, if Sir James's argument is good
for 600 circles, why not a less number; or why not sim-
plified to a single circle? This it can be, and that
equitably, too, shown by a petition* presented to Par-
liament last session, signed by 65 guardians, which em-
bodies a plan for the total abolition of the law of parish
settlement, without interfering with local management,
and rendering relief to the necessitous whenever and
wherever it may be required, and without change in
the present executive department of the law.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
W. B. WEST.

G, Hollywood-place, Fulham-road,
March 15, 1851.
* See Public Petitions, Twenty-first Report, March
850, Appendix 445, No. 6,116.

EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sra,—You hive always evinced a consideration for
shareholders, many of whom, like myself, have struggled
on to pay the calls in this line.
Our prospects have improved, a powerful company
(whose lino will be one of the best paying in the king-
dom) is buying up our shares.
An enormous amount of cattle, which has hitherto
been driven from 20 to 30 miles from the Algerkirk
station of the Great Northern to the pastures in Nor-
folk, &c., will pass on our line; the coal traffic also will
be large.
I would earnestly advise my brother shareholders not
to past with their stock at the present great discount.
I hope to see our shares at par at no very distant day.
I have the honour to remain, Sir, &c.,
LYNN and NORFOLK.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Eia,—A statement appearing in your paper of Mon-
day
void of truth, has caused me to write to you on the
subject, and in justice to the hundreds of parties who n
are
at the present moment preparing for visiting Londoon
the occasion of the national fair, which will most cer-
tainly take place at the opening of ties hi
de
bition. In
reference to Mr. Batty's application, ano oiler,
neither did he apply a fair, the nature of his applica-
tion being for a Hippodrome for bimself, which he has
arranged for. As to other applicati.ons, no refusal has
been given, and a great file is in active preparation. I
think, in justice to your numerous readers, you should
contradict your announcement of Monday last.
Your obedient servant,
J. H. SHILLIBEER.
Bucklersbury, March 15, 1851.

THE GREAT ERRIBITION.--INTERIOR VIEW OF
TIIL liAvz.—On the sth December last, Mr. Owen Jones
had the honour of submitting to her Majesty an admirable
water colour drawing of the interior of the nave of the
Crystal Palace, as it will appear when opened for the admix •
sion of visitors; this has siace been drawn on stone in three
tints, by Edmund Walker, from which impressions have
been struck, and were recently published by Messrs.
Ackermann. The size of the engraving by 281-A,
inches, and in which the prospective is admirably deli-
neated, displaying the three fountains down the centre, with
several groups of visitors, while on either side may be ob-
served the statues, models, and other works of art, and in
the galleries, in tastefully flowingorder, are tapestries, car-
pets, and other similar works. The
most interesting features, and is whole print possesses
highly creditable both to the
artist and publisher.

DRAFTS FOR THE CAPE.—Tho following
d detach-
ments wili arrive at Southampton this ay (SaturdaY for
embarkation on Monday next on board the Peninsular), and
Oriental Company's ship Singapore, to join the head-quar-
ters of their regiments now stationed at the Cape of Good
Hope :-6th Regiment, 2 officers and 50 men ; 45th Regi-
ment, 1 officer and 80 men ; 73d Regiment, 3 officers and 61
men ; 91st Regiment, 2 officers and 100 men; total, S officers
and 291 naeu...United Service Gazette.