The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-24 00:00:00

atrocity, and the consequence was, that he was
brought to trial for libel in the Court of King's
Bench, and condemned to imprisonment, and to pay
a heavy fine of one thousand pounds. When the Re-
form Bill, for which he had toiled and struggled
through so many a long and weary year, was at
length passed into law, this veteran patriot, who had
grown grey in the service of his country, imagining
it is to be presumed, that all, had been accomplished
that was necessary to be accomplished, took the
earliest opportunity of deserting the cause of the peo-
ple, and going over to the Tories. His apostacy
created no little sensation at the time, but
it was productive of not the slightest in-
jurious consequences, except to the public cha-
racter of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT himself. On
him, ineleed, it fell with quite a crushing effect. He
was literally the " engineer hoist with his own
petard." Whatever moral and political influence he
possessed, he lost at once and for ever ; and even the
party, for whom he had made this great sacrifice
of honest fame, were not slow to despise the
man who brought nothing to their cause but
the doting and peevish garrulity of age. But
he is now gone to his account, and we have
no wish to press hardly on his memory. Our public
quarrel with him is at an end, for we are not of the
number of those who push political animosity beyond
the grave, but leave it to impartial history to pro-
nounce her stern and irrevocable verdict. It must
be borne in mind, too, that the late Baronet gave to
Reform the best, most vigorous, and most intellectual
years of his life, and brought to the service of the
'Tories nothing but that which was not worth accept-
ance—an enfeebled mind and exhausted energies.
' Whatever triumphant effects he produced in public,
were all produced when he was boldly and consci-
entiously fighting the battles of the people ; and
charity would fain attribute his apostacy less to strong
and enlightened conviction, than to that debilitated
judgment which is so often the result of advanced
age. As an orator, Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, though
not of the loftiest order, yet deserves to be mentioned
with considerable respect. His manner was graceful,
and at times even dignified; an air of impressive
sincerity characterised everything he said ; and his
diction, without being florid or diffuse, was eloquent
—nervous—impassioned—and as full of sound genuine
Saxon English as the language of SUAESFEARE him-
self. Such was Sir FRANCIS in his best days; and it
is from the vivid and grateful recollection of his forty
years' unremitting devotion to freedom, that we have
been induced to touch thus lightly and briefly on the
errors of his declining years.

We have received Madrid papers of the 15th inst.,
but they bring no news. The Barcelona papers of
the 14th publish addresses from the authorities of that
city to Queen CHRISTINA, praying that her MAJESTY
will be pleased to pass through Barcelona on her way
to Madrid. Senor OLACHERIAGUE Y BLANCO had
been appointed Intendant of the Philippine Islands.
The Three per Cents. were done at 264 at 60 days,
and the Five per Cents. at 194 at 60 days.

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDEOR, TUESDAY.—His Royal Highness Prince Albert
walked in the grounds to-day, attended by his Equerry.
The Earl of Aberdeen took his departure from the Castle,
for London, this morning.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge took an air.
ing in the Park to-day, in a pony phaeton.
Sir Henry Wheatley has taken his departure from the Castle.
The Royal dinner party at the Castle, this evening, will in-
clude her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal
Highness's Lady in Waiting, Lady Fanny Howard, and Sir
George Couper.

A Cabinet Council was held at three o'clock yesterday after-
noon, at the Foreign-office. The Ministers present were Sir
Robert Peel, the Duke of Wellington, Earl of- Aberdeen, Lord
Stanley, Sir James Graham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Earl of Haddington, Earl of Ripon, Mr. Gladstone, Sir Henry
Hardiage, and Sir E. Knatchbull.
The Council sat three hours.
A deputation of the Metropolitan Association for Improving
the Dwellings of the Industrious Classes, consisting of J. D.
Powles, Esq., Dr. Southwood Smith, M.D.- W. A. Wilkin-
son, Esq., the Rev. W. W. Champneys, F. A. M'Geachy,
Esq., M.P., John Dunlop, Esq , P. F. Gibson, Esq., J. W.
Tottie, Esq., and Charles Gattiff, Esq., had al, interview with
Sir Robert Peel yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-
street.
The Ecclesiastical Commission for England had a meeting
yesterday, at the office in Whitehall-place. The Commis-
sioners present were the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop
London,the Bishop of Llandaff, the Chancellor of the Ex.
the Judge of the Prerogative Court, Viscount Dun..
cannon,co hf
ed ue
the Dean of Westminster.

The Earl of Aberdeen returned to town yesterday morning
from a visit to her Majesty, at Windsor Castle. His Lordship
visited Sir Robert Peel after his arrival.
The Postmaster-General had an audience with the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in
Downing-street.
The Solicitor-General had an interview with Sir James
Graham yesterday.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the Governor of Gibraltar.

A number of the Cabinet Ministers dined with the Earl of
Aberdeen yesterday evening, at his Lordship's. residence in
Argyll-street.

THE STATE TRIALS.
It is supposed that the Attorney-General will bring the
cue for the Crown to a close about Thursday or Friday next.
It is said that Mr. Henn will not speak for the traversers, in
consequence of being briefed with his senior, Mr. Richard
Moore, the late Solicitor-General. This will be a great loss
to the traversers, and a great disappointment to the public,
who expected a splendid display of argument and eloquence
from this eminent advocate. He is, however, unremitting in
his attention, and takes a very active part in all questions of
law which arise in the course of the proceedings.
The order of the speakers will, we understand, be as follows--
Mr. Shell, MT., will open for Mr. John O'Connell.
Next Mr. Moore, for the Rev. Mr. Tierney.
Mr. Whiteside, Q.C., for Mr. Duffy.
Mr. Fitzgibbon, Q.C., for Dr. Gray.
Mr. M'Donogh, Q.C., for Mr. Barrett.
Mr. Hatchell, Q.C., for Mr. Ray.
Mr. O'Connell will close this formidable array of forensic
power, and, as you may infer, on his own behalf, but of course
will not confine himself to a mere personal defence. The Hon.
and Learned Gentleman will go into the entire case of the tra-
versers and the Association, and it is generally supposed will
occupy two sitting days of the Court in the delivery of his
address. He sits under the Clerk of the Crown each day, and
devotes himself exclusively to the perusal of documents relating
to his defence. Mr. Henn co-operates with the Member for
Cork in taking copious notes of the evidence.
It is right to mention that the conduct pursued by the
Morning Herald, in handing over to the Government the
notes of its Irish correspondent, has excited one general feel-
ing of disgust and indignation, not only among persons
connected with the press, but also among the bar and the
public. Such a proceeding is unexamp!ed and unprecedented
in the history of the newspaper press, and is not only calculated
to lessen that confidence in the honour and integrity of public
journalists, which is so essential to the protection of the public
interests, but also to bring journalism itself into odium and con-
tempt. —Dublin Letter in the Advertiser.

F 7; ri s
ki F?

AND

Vut)lit Optitton.

" Who riots may re.ail."

roulaxGiv.

On Saturday evening the King of the French had
a very large party to dinner, and seemed in good
health.

Rumours of a change of Ministry were prevalent
in Paris, on the supposition that M. Billault's amend-
ment relative to the phrase " entente cordiale" would
be carried. The Courrier Francais gives the follow-
ing list of names that would probably form the new
Ministry :—Count Mole, President of the Council
and Minister for Foreign Affairs; M. Billault, Inte-
rior ; M. Dufaure, Justice ; 13. Pass•, Finance ; Mar-
shal Valee, War; Du Carne, Religion; Admiral
Bergeret, Marine ; Cousin, Public Instruction ; Gouin,
Public Works ; Salvandy or Bignon, Commerce. The
Ministry, however, have no fear of such a result.

At Tortoni's on Sunday the Three per Cents. were
quoted 82f. 60c.
The Presse states that on the 30th of November
last the French ship of war Coquette brought to Rio
Janeiro the draught of a convention concerted be-
tween England, France, and the Brazils, for the pur-
pose of putting an end to the war in La Plata.
The .Tournal of Havre says that Admiral Hamblin
is to replace M. Dupetit Thouars in the command of
the French naval force in the Pacific.

The Impartial of the Rhine has the following:—
" Positive news of the death of his Royal Highness
the Duke d'AngouMme has directly reached Stras-
burgh from Goritz. This event was expected. Symp-
toms which left no doubt as to his approaching end
had manifested themselves a short time before in the
state of the Prince's health."

The election of M. Charles Laffitte at Louviers was
annulled, owing to his having engaged to procure his
constituents, in return for their patronage, a branch
railway from their town to the Paris and Rouen line.