The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-15 00:00:00

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SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—A more moderate tone is perceptible
throughout the discussions of the Otaheitian question
by the French journalists. Their voice is no longer
raised, in indignant tones, against what they have
been wont to designate the insolence of England;
nor do they demand an appeal to the arbitrement
war, as the only means of vindicating the imaginary
wrongs of the great nation. This is so far satisfac-
tory. It shows that the war. notes which these party-
organs have recently sounded are not promptedby, nor in unison with, the sentiments of thee
French Ministry. The firm, but reasonable and
moderate demands of reparation which, there is reason
to believe, have been made by the British Cabinet
upon that of the French, have been entertained with.
a desire to afford satisfaction. The disputes which
at one period seemed ripening into an appeal to the
sword, will, there is now reason to hope, be settled
by the more rational functions of the pen. The publics
press of this country—speaking, as it does, the prevail-.
ing opinions of the nation, and endeavouring, as is its
wish no less than is its interest, to promote the pros-
perity of the community—will respond to this im-
proved state of feeling in France. If the French Mi-
nisters repudiate the acts of their subordinate officers;
remove from the scene of their unauthorised and il-
legal proceedings the perpetrators of the outrages
upon Queen Pomare and her subjects, and especially
upon the British Consul at Otaheite ; if those subordi-
nate authorities be proceeded against as violaters of
the laws of nations, and offenders against the laws of
the country whose commission they have perverted to
purposes foreign to the objects for which it was con-
ferred ; if the French Government thus caution and.
warn other of its officers who may be influenced by a.
kindred spirit of hostility to the interest of both.
countries—it will furnish a practical proof of its
sincerity in disavowing the acts of the French
authorities in the Pacific. The English Government
—faithful to its declared desire to preserve and!
strengthen peaceful relations between England and
France—will, we are certain, accept these explana-
tions and reparation of the wrong ; and a mutual good
understanding between the two Cabinets will be restored.
But there must be no delay in the negotiations tend-
ing to bring about an amicable adjustment of existing
differences. While protocols are being framed; while
time is spent in obtaining evidence as to disputed facts,.
incidental to, but net constituting the gravamen of the
cause of quarrel; the danger of widening the dispute is
daily becoming greater. The very last arrival from Ota-
heite brought intelligence of proceedings calculated to
increase the embarrassments of the two Governments in
endeavouring to avert war. The proclamations issued by
M. D'Aubigny ; the acts of that officer, avowed in his
communications with his Government—these are snf-
ficient proofs of those acts, of which the British Go-
vernment complains, and demands apology and re-
dress. Unchecked by prohibitions from the French
Ministers,, the French authorities in Otaheite will
proceed onward in their course of outrage and violence.
Fear of further wrongs may extort from the defence-
less Queen and her timid and oppressed people, con-
cessions and submissions on which new levies may be
made, new claims set up, and thus matter for new
disputes between the two countries be produced.
We have no disposition to pry into the secrets of
Cabinets, much less to embarrass their efforts to
preserve peace, when threatened with interrup-
tion. But we are bound by a scene of duty to state
that the people of this coal, 1-y, anxious though
they be for the maintenance of i-ezee, will be sorely
disappointed and dissatisfied ii Otaheite continue
under a French "Protectorate." From that self-
imposed " Protectorate" dispute between
the two countries was engendered. Under it, the
unoffending Queen and her people have been sub-
jected to tyranny and opression the most barbarous;
and severe : the former has been dethroned, and is:
now a fugitive on board a British vessel; the latter
have been driven from their habitations, and com-
pelled to seek shelter upon the mountains, and in
dens and caves of the island, from the cruelty of their
persecutors ! The French, under the pretext of be-
coming the " protectors" of Otaheite, are, in reality,
the plunderers and destroyers of the inhabitants.
STANDARD.—The patriotic exertions of Lord,
Minto, Lord Palmerston, and Lord John Russell, in
fanning into flame anew the embers of agitation in
France on the subject of Morocco and Otaheite, have
not been wholly unrewarded. But we are surprised,
considering the transparency of their motives, for
there is a common sympathy in their object...,
that such journals as the Dehats should permit
themselves to be irritated by their " inter-
pellations." Whenever a crisis has arisen which
has demanded an abstinence from irritating
topics, some self-elected Whig champion of the liono
of his country has invariably risen in his place in Par-
liament to propound inquiries which, whether answered
or not, would, he well knew, add fuel to the fire.
The motives for such appeals are, however, not
always unmixed. In each of the instances above
referred to, indeed, the desire for self-exaltation
may probably have exceeded the disposition to he
mischievous. Lord Minto, whose Government em-
broiled us in three-fourths of the world, is surprised
that the Admiralty do not keep afloat as large a naval
armament as he found indispensable for the pub-
lic service during his career of official ne-
potism. Lord Palmerston, whose diplomatic cox-
combry had well nigh involved us in a war
in the only quarter of the globe in which we
had not already some quarrel upon our hands, is
unable to understand the ill-feeling which has grown
up against us in a country whose amour propre he
had wounded, and whose confidence he had chilled.
Lord John Russell, on the other hand, rises as
an affectionate monitor of the Government, to offer
a host of suggestions which he never attempted.
to put in practice himself; and the chief ob-
ject of which, like his " lament over the scanty
means and severe toil of the labouring populae
ticn," and his allusion to the " gross outrage com-
mitted on a British subject at Otaheite," has been to
create discontent and strife. Such, we repeat, how-
ever earnest their disclaimer of factious motives,
has been the aim and object of this patriotic
trio, and the arrow has not always fallen short of
the mark. Looking at the constitution of the
French press, and the fact that the same
farce is repeated by the opponents of the French
Government with no mean success on the other side
of the water, it is surprising that the attempts of either
party should have the slightest influence beyond their
own particular cliques. So long, however, as their
speeches produce results so completely in accordance
with their intentions, the nuisance is little likely to be
abated. It is worth our while to remember that
those people who inveigh with so much bitterness
against the imputed forbearance of Lord Aberdeen
were part and parcel of a Ministry, whose aggressions
on other powers were invariably followed by the
meanest and most abject concessions. In regard to
France it cannot be denied that the feeling which the
Governments of both countries find it so difficult to
allay, is the exclusive result of the foreign policy of
Lord Palmerston ; that policy for which he assumed
to himself in his late manifesto so extensive a credit.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.
CITY, TUESDAY EVENING.
TIMES.—The premium on gold at Paris is 9 per mine,
which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. luid. per
ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 2••
38 ; and the exchange at Paris on London at short
being 25 50, it follows that gold is 0.47 per cent.
dearer in London than in Paris.
By advices from llamburgh the price of gold is 434
per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. 10/01.
per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13 9f ;
and the exchange at llamburgh on London at short
being 13 9i, it follows that gold is 0.11 dearer in London
than in llamburgh.
At the Greenwich meeting to-day the question of re-
newed negotiation with the South-Eastern and Dover
Company for a lease of the line on improved terms was
broached and discussed with much good feeling, sup-
ported and encouraged, as it was by a communication:
from a party present that the South-Eastern Directors
were yet inclined to give something more than the sum
previously offered. It seemed, in fact, to be the desire
of the shareholders to have some sort of amalgamation
with the South-Eastern or other contiguous com-
panies, which would insure a certain return
for capital invested, though at the same time,
there was evidently a more harmonious spirit;
of co-operation among them to support their
rights inviolate, and not suffer themselves to be
the suppliants of other boards, or immediately,
accept any terms that might be dictated. If no arrange-
ment of a profitable character can be made with the
South-Eastern or the Croydon boards, the new prospect
of a North Kent line, with its consecluent advantages, is
regarded as another point on the shareholders
may rely for success ; but, as it rally believed that
the South-Eastern Directors are d: posed to enter into is
modified agreement which will meet the Greenwich Di-.
rectors half-way, the majority expressed an opinion in,
favour of coming to an equitable arrangement with that
Company, so as to avoid the probability of a further ac-
cumulation of debt. Mr. D. W. Harvey, Mr. Moor',
Mr. Laurence, Mr. Salomons, and others, although all
had different resolutions, agreed in the main with thel
broad principle of the proposition, and the result was
the appointment of a Committee of seven Shareholders
to act with the Directors in re-opening these negotia-
tions, an adjournment of the meeting to a future day
being made to receive a report on the subject.
According to the statement of affairs laid before the;
shareholders, the receipts of the last half-year have
reached to 23,416/. 9s. 7d., an increase of 1,8711. 19s. 4d.
compared with the same period in 1842 ; but then it
was justly remarked, that while this was the case, then)
appeared also a very large increase in expenditure. The
question of the payment of the preference shareholders
before all expenses of working and repairing the lino
were discherged was referred to, but minor considera-
tions
such as this and other matters were by general ',Re/
consent allowed to be suspended till the termination of
labours of the Committee, in conjunction with the
Directors, is announced.

The Committee of Spanish American bondholders
held a meeting yesterday, but no official account has
been given of the result. It is ascertained, however, that