The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-19 00:00:00

VHE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1835,

kipttvciphOs draritaiii\bat
Tc" 4.
oonso a !es; nevertheless, we must not omit to say
word upon Mr. SPOONER'S allusion to O'CONNELL.
I call on Lord JOHN RUSSELL," observed this
finished pattern of meekness and gentility, " to join
with us in doing what we must ultimately do—crush
the wretch." What will Sir FRANCIS' BURDETT
say to this ? Will he tell us that the word " wretch"
applied to a Wernher of Parliament is language wor-
thy of a gentleman ? If he do, we have no more to
urge ; but if he do not, then we trust that on a prin-
Ciple of fair play, he will -take the earliest opportunity
of denouncing it in his next public epistle. He can-
not resemble the " just man" of Horace, if he do not
act impartially on this occasion.

Me. O'CONNELL has published a second letter on
the subject of " Peerage Reform," in which, after
its expatiating on imperative necessity, at conside-
rable length, and with much animation, he says, " We
cannot expect that any Ministry will initiate such a
Reform as this—nay, it would be folly in any Mi-
nistry to participate in the struggle to bring about
this Reform, unless it shall first be called for by the
unequivocal and loud voice of a great majority of the
intellect and vigour of the British people." The
Hon. and Learned Gentleman goes on to observe—
" The Reform of the Lords is the great, the radical
improvement, in the British Constitution. Do you
wish for an extension of the elective franchise to
universal suffrage, or, at least, to household suf-
frage ?—You never can obtain the one or the other,
until the House of Lords is reformed. Do you wish
to procure for every voter the protection of the
ballot ?—You wish in vain, until the House of Lords
is reformed. Do you see the utility of shortening the
duration of the representative trust in the Commons ?
—You must wait until after the Reform of the Lords.
Do you desire a perfect Corporation Reform ?—You
know you cannot get it until the House of Lords is
reformed. Do you honestly look for justice to the
people of Ireland ?—You know that you will not be
allowed to make one step towards.that object until the
House of Lords is reformed." With a view to expe-
dite this Reform, Mr. O'CONNELL proposes that in
every city, town, and village, throughout the kingdom,
the people should form themselves into Clubs or Asso-
ciations, for the purpose of getting up addresses and
petitions to the Throne and to Parliament, for a prompt
and efficient Reform of the House of Lords.

In The Sun of this day will be found a letter from
ROBERT WALLACE, Esq., M.P. for Greenock, on.
the subject of Post-Office Reform ; to the details a
which it is quite superfluous to call public attentin. The
question is a most important one to all classes in the
country ; and Mr. WALLACE larks made the subject
so exclusively his own, by uis labours in and out of
Parliament, that all 10,ok to him for an exposition of
the benefits to be expected from the slightest change
in the regulatiuns of the Post-Office. His account,
therefore, of the preparations which havie been made
in Scotland for introducing the improved system under
the most favourable auspices—his details of the in-
creased accommodation and security observable in the
build of the new Mail Coaches—his reference to the
labours of the Post-office Commissioners---and his
desire that the sth of January should not pass over
without attracting public regard, as far as concerns the
Post-office Reforms then to be effected, will not be
overlooked by the people of the United Kingdom.
Perseverance is the great lever with which to raise the
pillar of imperishable Reform. Perseveringly, but
gradually, must the work be accomplished, if it be
intended for durability. Mr. WALLACE knows
this as well as we do ; and from the success
which has attended his past efforts, we have every
reason to feel assured that he will ultimately suc-
ceed in realizing all his projects in this his favourite
department of the public service. As to the Commis-
sioners, nothing can be more energetic—nothing more
conducive to the public good—than their labours
hitherto. In England, in Ireland, and in Scotland,
their presence has been felt as a great national benefit.
However, as the Post Office is pre-eminently a prac-
tical branch of the public service ; as the slightest in-
terruption in its movements would shake the commercial
world to its very centre ; the greatest care must be
taken that every change in its present operation be
made gradually, so that the improved results may be
felt, before the eye can well detect an alteration in the
system.

And, now that the subject is before us, we cannot
omit a reference to certain proceedings on the part of
the Earl of LicriFiELD,' with respect to a meet-
ing held by, the Post-office Letter-carriers, on the
10th instant, of which a brief report appeared in
this Journal of the 14th. It appears from that
report, that the senior Letter-carriers were deprived
of certain privileges by the extension of the time
granted to the public for putting letters into the
receiving boxes, and that THOMAS GOODFELLOW, a
carrier, sought redress .irorn the POSTMASTER-GE-
NERA L. His Lordship, offended by such an applica-
tion, dismissed the Letter-carrier from his employment,
and informed the rest, that- if dissatisfied they might
go about their business, as there were men enough
to be found who would discharge their duties
without any increase of salary. Now although we
condemn all turbulence on the part of the Letter-carriers,
yet wz cannot approve of such a harsh proceeding on
the part of the Noble Earl. We doubt not but that
an abundance of persons could be found to fill every
office in the State at one fourth the salaries now paid
—not excepting the one occupied by his Lordship, the
Post-Master General ; but the question to be here solved
is—would the country gain by such an arrangement ?
The Post-Office Letter- carriers are as well entitled to
have their " vested rights" taken into considera-
tion, in any change that may take place, as a Minister
of the Crown to receive a retiring pension.

The Glasgow Courier, in an elaborate, and would-
be satirical, article on Lord BROUGHAM, still insists,
notwithstanding his Lordship's express contradiction,
hat he was the author of the attack on O'CONNELL,
that appeared a few days since in the Morning Adver-
tiser. This is a very fair specimen of the singularly
upright and candid spirit in which the Conserva-
tive Journals are
,conducted. Having once put forth
a calumny, no power on earth—not even the most
undeniable proof of its utter falsity—can induce these
Tory scribes to disavow or Tetrad it. Slander is the
aliment on which they thrive, and they arc naturally
unwilling to pact with even a single mouthful of such
(to them) nutritious food.

The Conservative cause has, we regret to state,
triumphed both in West Gloucestershire and North
Northatnptonshire. This result has been chiefly
owing, not to the popularity of the Tories in those
Divisions, but to the delay of the Reformers in bring-
ing forward a candidate. Surely negligence like this,
under the circumstances, is little less than culpable I
How can people expect others to stir for them, if they
will not stir for themselves ? They had the means
at their command. Why, then, did they hesitate to use
them ? It is, and ever has been, and, we fear, ever
will be, the curse of Reformers, not only to be split
into sections and schisms, but wilfully to close their
eyes, at the very moment when they should be most
awake. A little more promptitude, combined with a
little more energy, would have gained them the day

both Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire, but
,they have been wanting in both qualities ; and now,
we suppose, when it is.too late, they will sit down and
bewail the mischief they have themselves occasioned

The intelligence from France contained in the .Paris
Papers of Thursday, is of no political importance. In
the diplomatic circles nothing is talked of but the
Speech from the Throne on opening the Legislative
Chambers. A draft of this speech, from the pen
of the Duke de BROGLIE, .has already been commu-
nicated to several Members of the Cabinet, and it is
supposed that it would occupy the attention of the
Council during the sitting of Friday. If the public
Journals are to be credited, there will be nothing more
than a passing union made to the American 16indem-
nity question ; a the relations between France and
the Great Northern Power will pass almost as si-
lently. The regicidal conspiracy of the 28th of July,
will be introduced, and deplored at some length ; but
it is yet uncertain 'whether the blame of that tragical
catastrophe will be imputed to any political party. In
speaking of England, the KING will dwell with ap-
parent thankfulness on the closeness of his alliance with
that Power, and on the prospect of the long continuance
of such friendly relations. The question of taxation
will not be dwelt upon ; and nothing of a definitive na-
ture will be introduced respecting the increase of the
Navy Estimates. Should the French obtain any
signal advantage over ABDIL KADER before the open-
ingof the Chambers, the African expedition will be
introduced in the language of high-flown panegyric ;
otherwise the KING will speak of it in more modest
phrase, leaving to the Chambers the task of celebrat-
ing the youthful aspirations
_for. military glory of the
future hope of France—the Duke of ORLEANS.
Such is said to be the substance of the speech with
'which the CITIZEN KING proposes to open the Le-
gislative Session. Unless it be more explicit on many
points, it will satisfy no party, either in France, or
out of it.

We find the following in the National :

" The Madrid Gazette announces that the Officers of all
ranks of the British Legion have unanimously decided on
receiving, until next quarter, but a third of the pay due
to them. Though we do justice to that generous act, we
cannot help remarking that, since its arrival in Spain, it is
about the only service rendered to the cause of Queen Isa-
bella by that British Legion, which, according to the Eng-
lish newspapers, an-,1 the orations in Parliament, was by
its mere aptyrition to put an end to the war in Navarre.
It may lOC remembered that Colonel Evans, Commander-
in-Chief of the British Legion, on taking leave of his
Westminster constituents, gave them to understand that
the expedition would cause but a short interruption in the
discharge of his Parliamentary duties, and that he would
be enabled to return, and take his seat in the House of
Commons in the first days of the next session. There is
reason to believe that the Westminster electors will do
right to provide themselves with another representative,
unless, however, the security which the British Legion en-
joys in its winter quarters permit its General to go and
himself explain in the House of Commons the motives of
his protracted inaction."

The British Legion,• the Parliament, the Press, and
the People, can afford to smile at this sneer at the in-
efficiency of our arms in restoring tranquillity to the
Spanish nation. But before the National attempts to
hold British valour up to ridicule, it were as well for
the Editor to make himself acquainted with the real
facts of the case. Neither the English newspapers,
nor the Members who introduced the subject of the
Quadruple Treaty in the House of Commons, said or
supposed that the mere apparition of a Volunteer
Legion in Spain would put down the insurrection.
What the Press and the Liberal Representatives of the
people did say was this :—The presence of an Eng-
lish regular army in Spain, in conformity with the
articles of the Treaty, would soon quell the civil dis-
cord, and extinguish the Carlist. insurrection. We are
still of the same opinion. Were a British army to
take. the field to-morrow against the Carlists, bad
as is the season, we would not fear to predict that
Don CARLOS would be driven out of Spain before
the first of February.

But independent of this, the presence of even the
British Auxiliary Legion in Spain has been attended
with the best results. If General EVANS has not
done all that he intended doing within a period so
limited, the cause is to be sought for in the retrogade
movements of those who had pledged themselves to co-
operate with him ; in the duplicity of the French fron-
tier authorities, who have constantly supplied the
Carlists with necessaries ; and in the want of dis-
cipline, not the want of courage among those who,
under circumstances so uninviting, were persuaded to
volunteer in support of the Spanish constitutional
cause. And yet even this force, insignificant as it
appears in the eyes of the Editor of the National, has
seen Don CARLos and his army in full retreat be-
fore it.

The proceedings in the Court of Peers have ceased
to interest the public ; and very little regard is paid
to them. The time is, however, not distant when
they will be too well remembered. It is hoped that
the State trials will conclude in the course of next
week.
The following extracts bring advices from the North
of Spain ; but the quarter whence they proceed is not
the most trustworthy. There is a portion of the French
Press under the direct controul of the Carlist emissaries
in Paris :

animunitidn arid projectiles. The greaiest activity prevails
ih all the Dec. 17.
17.
Fifie (18 . 13c. W.c. NAL
Four per Cents., if. 511 e. -
Three per. CciitA../9f. 10e. 15z. 256.
BO.It 2;1451. . • .
4ente dl Naples, 9-tr. 85c, 90F.1.011,1. • •
ttente d'Espagne, Three per Cents., Coi!4•.
Belgian Loan, Five per Cents, 101%14.
Portugue,e Loan, Five per Cents., 85.
Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents, 55.
lieltian Loan, 305 C
kitcitsktat ON toisaltitl.
One month, paper, 55c. • ttioney, ‘.lsf e.
Three nientlis, paper, 'lsf. 40r.; motley. ittf.
...Coto's AO/tot/tone.

BOURSE 'THREE o'Cnoos.—The Bourse has been this dity
very animated, both in the price of the securities and in busi-
ness. The intelligence of the 24th from New York being
that there is even not a single boat preparing for war, has in-
spired a strong confidence here that peace will be maintained
between the two countries. The Spanish Stock has also been
very much in demand.
QUAUTER TO rota.—Five per Cents., 108 f. 50c. ; Three
per Cents., 79f. 35c. ; Five per Cents. Spanish, —; Three
per Cents. Spanish, —; Cortes, —; Coupons, 241 ; Gucb-
bards, —; Differes, 171; New Loan, —; Activei, 47:1 •
Passives, 14 ; Ducats, 97 10 ; Romans, 1011; Pedros, 85 ;
Belgians, 101 i; Dutch, —f. —c. ; Haytians, 395 f. •—c. ;
Miguels, 21 ; Brabant Bank, —; Belgian Bank, 14; Con-
tinuation, —c. ; New Differes, 241 ; Five per Cent. Pet pe-
tuelles, 35k.

CHANCERY COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

IN THE MATTER OF LADY KIRKWALL.

On this matter being called on—
Mr KNIGHT said he appeared in support of the petition
which was for a Commission of Lunacy against Lady
Kirkwall.

Lord Commissioner SHAT WELL enquired who were the
Counseron the other side?

Mr. KNIGHT was not aware who appeared for Lady
Kirkwall.
Lord Commissioner SIIADWELL said that himself and
his brother Commissioner had read the affidavits, and they
wished to know what could be said why the Commission
should not issue ?

The Solicitor of Lady Kirkwall said he had not in-
structed Counsel, but he wished to make some few ob-
servations.

Mr. KNIGHT objected ; it had been decided by Lord
Eldon and Lord Brougham, that none but the parties or
Counsel could address the Court in matters of lunacy.
Lord Commissioner SHADWELL said, that acting under
such authority, they must decline to hear the Solicitor.
It appeared to him and his brother Commissioners, that
the facts of the case were something of this description :
Lady Kirkwall insisted that Lord Kirkwall was still liv-
ing, and that Lord Orkney and his brother were not her
sons. Now what was the ease ? Why, Lord Orkney was
at the present moment one of the sixteen representative
Peers for Scotland, and it was plain, therefore, before he
took his scat, that the House of Lords would take care to
be satisfied that Lord Kirkwall was dead. Lady Kirkwall
stated in her affidavit that she would not enter into any de-
nial of the allegations against her as to her sane state of '
mind, bit content herself with denying that Lord Kirk-
wall waT dead, and that Lord Orkney was her son. The
Learned Lord Commissioner, after alluding to the case of
Lord Portsmouth, said he was of opinion that the Com-
mission ought to issue, if it were only for the purpose of
giving Lord Orkney an opportunity of proving that he
sustained the character he claimed.
Tho Solicitor of Lady Kirkwall submitted that Lord
Orkney ought to prove that by a different process.
Lord Commissioner BOSANQUET said that he had read
the affidavit of the school master of Lord Orkney and
Captain Fitzmorris, his brother, who stated that Lady
Kirkwall, when in a sound state of mind, had placed her
sons at school with him, that when she visited them she
always regarded them as her sons, made them presents of
watches and other things, and never at any time expressed
the least doubt as to their identity.
The Solicitor of Lady Kirkwall wished to know whether
their Lordships would make any order with regard to them?
Mr. KNIGHT trusted the Court would certainly not. Any
orders for that purpose must be obtained upon notice. The
machinations that had taken place in this case were
most lamentable, and the most unhappy consequences
had arisen, from Lady Kirkwall falling into the hands *she
had. It was most important to the public that they should
be made acquainted with the delusions that had boon go-
ing on.
Lord Commissioner SIIADWELL—Let the Commission
issue in the usual form,

Their Lordships then retired to hear a case with respect
to a Ward in their private room, and they had not returned
into Court when our reporter left.,

ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL v. THE MERCHANT TAILORS

COMPANY.

His HONOUR gaveludgment this morning in this case,
which was argued yesterday. His Honour, in commencing
his judgment, said that it was a case which it was impos-
sible to contemplate, without feelings of the greatest pos-
sible regret, that the proceedings of the Court should be
abused, under pretence of providing for a charity, when it
was clear that the gift was intended for private purposes.
His Honour, after going through the facts of the case,
which are already before the public, said, that although he
regretted he was obliged to do so, he should, as the Attor-
ney-General had asked it, direct a reference to the Master
to inquire how the sum of 6001., in the information named,
had been invested, giving him liberty to state special cir-
cumstances ; but he should also adopt the course that had
been pursued by his predecessor, namely, that of communi-
cating with the Attorney-General as to whether be thought
it advisable that the proceeding should be carried on.