The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-19 00:00:00

in vain for him, after the victory is gained, to
protest against the abuse that will be made of it.
Let the Conservatives but once obtain a majority in
the House of Commons, and the Reform Bill will
soon be an old almanac. To acquire that majority is
the object of all their efforts and intrigues. To deter-
mine elections in their favour, they are multiplying
and extending their clubs in every direction. These
clubs—like the Jacobin clubs of France, fraternize
with each other, and corresponding with the parent
society in Carlton-terrace, they receive from its leaders
instructions and directions how to act. The avowed
purpose they pursue, •is to obtain a majority in the
House of Commons—which their leader has described
to them as the chief authority of the State—not to
repeal the Reform Bill—for that he disclaims—but to
modify and amend it—to fritter it away and reduce its
efficacy, so that Tories may rise again to the pinnacle
of power from which they have been precipitated. To
counteract these machinations, it is necessary
that Reformers, in their turn, should associate in
every town, village, and hamlet throughout the
kingdom. Self-defence requires that they should thus
protect themselves against their enemies. It is
lamentable that the country should be thus marshalled
in two hostile camps. But it is the fault of those who
have begun and provoked the conflict. Had the
Conservatives not bestirred themselves, the Reformers,
confident in their superiority, would have remained
quiet. Our adversaries have chosen to divide the
country, and they must abide by the consequences of
their own act. Let it be the first business of the Re-
form Societies to diffuse instruction—not by public
meetings, inflammatory harangues, or noisy declama-
tions, but by encouraging among their neighbours the
circulation of cheap and useful publications, that maybe
read and reflected on in leisure and retirement. Let it
be their next object to ascertain their strength in every
district, and prepare it for action. When wanted
for election purposes—when the time for using it ar-
rives, let it be their endeavour to return to Parliament,
not the persons who are loudest and most violent in
their professions, but those who have been the steadi-
est and most consistent in their conduct and opinions.
Let every Member of Parliament be made to feel at
such times, that to desert the colours under which he
entered into the service of his constituents is equiva-
lent to a civil death—to an ignominious termination of
his Parliamentary existence ; that the surest passport
to their favour is an honest fulfilment of the en-
gagements he voluntarily contracted at the time
of his election. Among Reformers are to he found
many landed proprietors of large estates, many great
merchants, many rich bankers, and many skilful
and opulent manufacturers ; but it must be owned,
that in some of these advantages, they cannot
compete with the Conservatives. But they have
numbers, whose aggregate property greatly ex-
ceeds the wealth of their opponents. In their
ranks are includod a vast majority of the middling
classes, and every operative who looks forward to raisi,
himself, by his skill, his industry, and his frugality, to
a higher station in society. If a large portion of the
drones be arrayed against them, they have the bees on
their side. If the young gentlemen at Crockford's and
Alinack's be hostilely inclined, they may reckon on the
active and intelligent youth, destined to form, in future
times, the nerve and pride of the State. The weak at-
tempt of their opponents to bribe the people into arenun-
ciation, like Esau, of their birthright, they will treatwith
the contempt it merits, keeping at the same time a vigi-
lant eye on such practices, acid bringing the perpetrators,
if guilty, to punishment and disgrace. Intimidation
they will counteract. If the parson or the squire
threatens to withdraw his custom from the shopkeeper,
the baker, or the brewer, it may be hinted to the in-
tended victim that he will better consult his interests by
adhering to the many than by bowing to the dictates of
a single employer. There is but one class of persons
against whom intimidation can be used with effect.
But he must be a senseless, as well as a bigotted Tory,
who, in these times, would dismiss a good tenant be-
cause he did not submit to be treated like a negro-
slave. The first farm left unoccupied after such con-
duct will teach the squire, that, though he may do
what lie pleases with his own, there a>e certain enjoy-
ments of the rights of property moral costly than they
are worth. No time is to be lost=the hour is come—
our enemies have sounded the alarm bell ; let us obey
the summons.—Morning Chronicle.

ADMIRALTY COURT.

THE EWEL GROVE.-JUDGMENT.

This was a question of much importance to the shipping
nterest. The officers and crew of his Majesty's steam-
ship Rhadamanthus proceeded against the owners of the
Ewel Grove, for salvage services rendered to that vessel
while on Rocky Point, off the island of Jamaica, in July
last. An award in favour of the officers and crew of the
Rhada»zanthus had been made by the Magistrates of Ja-
maica, under a local Act, by which one-third of the value
of the ship, cargo, and freight was adjudged to the salvors,
the ship, cargo, &c, of the Ewell Grove being estimated
altogether at above 6,000/. The owners of the Ewel
Grove objected to the award, as being irregular ; and it
was contended on their behalf that the services rendered
by the officers and crew of the Rhadamathas were of an
ordinary nature, and undeserving of any considerable re-
ward, and, further, that it was by the power of steam
alone that the Ewel Grove was got off the rocks. The
officers and crew of the Rhadamanthus being public ser-
vants, and steam being a national invention, of which the
mercantile interest had, it was contended, a right to avail
themselves in protecting property at sea, it was submitted
on behalf of the owners of the Ewel Grove, that only a
small reward should be given to the salvors.
Sir JOHN NICHOLL this day gave judgment, and had
looked into the cases cited during the argument. In cases
of recapture the rate of proportion was the sole principle
upon which the Court had acted in granting rewards, one-
eighth of the value of the property retaken being,given to
King's ships, and one-sixth to privateers. In cases of civil
salvage, where the property was not derilect, and where the
owners appeared, it had not been usual to give so much as
when the property had become droits of the Crown or deri-
lect. In cases of derilect one-third was generally given to
the salvors ; and in the great case of the Thetis, where the
property saved was immense, and where the merits of the
salvors were great, the Court gave a certain fixed sum,
which, however, was increased on appeal. There was, in
fact, no fixed rule of compensation for civil salvage, the
peculiar facts of each case furnishing criteria upon which
the Court grounded its opinion ; and the observation
peculiarly applied to the present case. The Learned
Judge then referred to the facts of the case, and said
the value of the property saved was about 6,000/. ; but
the Court was not disposed to go the length of the award
made by the Jamaica Magistrates, and would not give one-
third to the salvors. There were about 200 men to be re-
warded for the services performed ; and he (Sir J. Nicholl)
though he should direct about one-fifth of the value of the
ship, freight, and cargo to be given to them, should direct
all the costs to be paid by the owners ; and, further; direct
the sum of 1,200/. to be paid to the salvors.