The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-23 00:00:00

fir- tient-us .7nut.

LONDON, TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1344.

• It is with unfeigned regret that we record the death
of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, which took place at four
o'clock this morning. The deceased Baronet, who
was born in 1770, was the son of F. BURDETT, Esq.;
he married, in 1793, the youngest daughter of the late
THOMAS COUITS, the banker, entered Parliament a,
Member for Boroughbridge in 1796, and in the fol-
lowing year succeeded his grandfather in the Baro-
netcy. In 1807, he was elected for Westminster,
which city he continued to represent till 1837, when
he was returned for the northern division of Wilt-
shire, on the Tory interest. Early in life the de-
ceased Baronet started as a Reformer, under
the auspices of the well-known HORNE
TOOKE, whom he regarded as his political
Mentor, and at whose Sunday parties at Wimbledon
he was always a favourite guest. His views of Re
form were—for those days—of the boldest and most
uncompromising character; and he advocated them,
on every occasion, both within and without the walls
of Parliament, with a manliness—an energy—a hearti-
ness—and inflexible stubbornness of purpose that
rendered him for years the idol of the people. In
1812 he was committed to the Tower for having
published some unpalateable truths respecting the
constitution of the House of Commons, which the
Ministry of that day chose to regard as a breach of
privilege; and on this occasion a desperate riot
took place, in which several lives were • lost.
In 1819—the year of „the; Peterloo reassacre-7
Sir FRANCIS BURDETT indignantly denotinced that
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, indeed, 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 cud, 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 soundgenuine
Saxon English as the language of SHAKSPEARE 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.

Those of our readers who may happen to be versed
in SILIKULARE—and who is there that is not?—
cannot but remember FALTAFF'S famous tavern bill,
in which, on lio:3lAns QUICKLY'S showing, the quantity
of sack drank by the "fat knight" amounted to eleven
shillings—the quantity of bread eaten, to just one
halfpenny 1 Precisely the same proportion which

plump-Jack's" bread bore to his sack, the vigour of
the public demonstrations made by the Monopolists
bear to that which is exhibited by the League.
" Look on this picture, and on this." In
the one case we have a set of men meet-
ing under the avowed influence of fear and des-
peration, not in large, imposing masses, but in a snug,
small.fatnily-party sort of manner ; animated by no
better feeling than a scrupulous regard for the interests
of their breeches-pockets; mistaking stolid prejudice
for enlightened conviction, and making abuse do the
duty of argument—in the other case, we have a vast
and hourly-increasing confederacy, united in the
strictest bonds of a common necessity ; impressed
with an earnest and conscientious feeling of the
justice of their cause ; full of energy, resolution, and
activity ; familiar with every point of the great
question which they discuss, and able to track it
through all its ramifications ; wielding the weapons of
impassioned eloquence and 'matter-of-fact reasoning
with equal readiness ; and, above all, prompted to inces-
sant exertion by a well-grounded confidence in their ul-
timate and triumphant success. In the case of the mo-
nopolists, we see—notwithstanding their frequent ex-
hortations on the subject—subscriptions trickling
forth in a petty, shallow, languid stream ; in the case
of the League, we see them rolling onward in a full,
broad, deep, and rapid channel. The monopolists
remind us of the setting sun, sinking after a stormy
day in cloud and gloom ; the League reminds us of
the same luminary rising brilliant and unclouded
in the East, exhibiting every promise of a serene
meridian, and " rejoicing, like a giant to run its
course." To descend to the language of plain prose,
the day of monopoly—and Heaven knows it has had
a long enough day !—is fast passing away, and, like
the duration of FAUSTUS' life, must henceforth be
reckoned by minutes ; that of free-trade, on the con
trary, is yet to come, and by the brightness of its
dawn we may guess what will be its meridian. There
is not a single public meeting held by the League—
no matter whether in an agricultural or commercial
district—that does not give fresh assurance of its
eventual triumph. Is a large subscription, called for ?
It is immediately forthcoming, as though it pro-
ceeded from the inexhaustible purse of FORTUNATUS.
Is an impassioned appeal or a matter-of-fact argument
required ? Mr. BRIGHT is ever at hand to furnish the
one, and Mr. COI3DEN the other. In Scotland as well
as in England, the members of the League are re-
ceived everywhere with open arms, and not a day passes
but they can number their recruits by scores. Would
this be the case, if they were a mere selfish faction—if
they had not the vast majority of the industrious classes
on their side ? The best proof that the League is a
national necessity, is its rapidly extending influence,
and by the growth of this influence we may estimate
the pressure of the necessity. J ustly remarked Mr.
Ginsosi, at the great free-trade meeting held on Fri-
day last at Manchester—" We were told that manu-
facturers and commercial men had adopted the prin-
ciples of the League because it happened that at that
particular time there was embarrassment in their af-
fairs, there were difficulties in trade, there was de-
presSion. But is it so ? .Do we find that with changes
in trade, with a partial revival of commercial affairs,
with a falling price in agricultural produce, this agi-
tation has lost ground ? No. Do we not see the
League meetings as enthusiastic assemblies as ever ?
And why do we see this ? Because the great body
of the commercial community of this country see the
question in its true light." This is regarding the
matter in a proper view; and in these few significant
words, we have the true secret of the success of the
Anti-Corn-law League. It prospers, because its ex-
istence is necessary to the best interests of the com-
munity ; but the instant it ceases to represent those
interests, it will sink, like the agitation of the mono-
polists, into mere insignificance.

When, in the memorable year 1829, Sir ROBERT
PEEL brought forward the question of Catholic Eman-
cipation, he expressly stated—and laid great stress on
the declaration—that it was his intention to carry it
out in a spirit of the most perfect good faith, and to
render it as complete and comprehensive as possible.
Henceforth, he said, the Catholics should have no
cause to complain that they were not put on the
same level with the Protestants ; the equality be-
tween the two professions should not be merely a
nominal one, but an actual living reality, for the
Relief Bill was one of wholesale conciliation, con-
ceived in a kindly, equitable spirit, and intended to
hell the wounds and redress the wrongs of ages,
Fifteen years have passed since this magnanimous de-
claration was made, and what has been the conduct—
we say nothing of the professions—of him who made
it ? Did he, pursuant to his promise, co-operate with
the MELBOURNE Ministry in their well-meant endea-
vours to legislate for Ireland in accordance with the
just and tolerant principles of the Relief Bill Did
he further the progress of the Municipal Reform mea-
sure, whose avowed object was to give the Catholics
such increased privileges as they had every right to
expect at the hands of him who struck the fetters
from their limbs, and told them that henceforth there
should be no distinction between them and their
Protestant brethren ? Did he uphold the tolerant
Government of Lords NORMANBY and FORTESCUE,
which for the first time held the balance even
between the Catholics and the Orangemen, and
conciliated all classes of the former, by im-
pressing them with the conviction that at leagth
something like justice was done them.? Did Sir Ro-
BERT PEEL act in this liberal and enlightened spirit,
for. which he took such praise to himself in the year
1829? Far otherwise. In order to assist the views
hiitparty, and throw obstacleg' in the way of the
Whigs, he fairly " turned bis back on himself"—to
quote Lord CASTLEREAGH'S bright metaphor—and
laboured hard to make a mere dead letter of that great
remedial measure which, when he brought it for-
ward, he promised should be an . active, living prin-
ciple. Even since he has become Premier, and has
been furnished with abundant means of legislating for
Ireland in the equitable spirit of the Relief Bill, he
has pursued his old, specious, and one-sided course of
policy, giving nought but smooth words to the
Catholics, while he has reserved the substantial
rewards for the Tory Protestants. As if this were
not sufficiently galling, his Irish Executive—for
whose actions he is of course responsible, as the in-
dividual who entrusted them with authority—have
just shown the sister-country in what utter disregard
they hold the spirit of the Emancipation Bill, by
striking off, without a why or a wherefore, every
single Catholic who was on the list of the jury ap-
pointed to try the present State prosecutions. No
wonder that all the members of this persuasion, from
the peer to the peasant, are indignant at such a gross
insult, which indirectly implies that they:are not to be
trusted on their oaths, but will return a verdict in
brazen defiance of evidence ! The proceedings of the
Attorney-General in this case are, to all intents and
purposes, a practical repeal of one of the most
valuable rights intended to be secured by the great
measure of Emancipation ; and we arc delighted,
therefore, to find that the aggrieved Catholics intend
to petition the QUEEN on the subject, and also to
bring it fully under the notice of Parliament. Al-
luding to this important matter, Mr. O'CONNELL ob-
serves, in a recent letter to Mr. CREAN, that it should
be agitated distinctly and separately, without the
slightest reference to the question of Repeal. " Re-
peal," he adds, " should not, if possible, even be
mentioned at any of the meetings held for the pur-
pose of petitioning to have the Emancipation Act
rendered perfect. There are many Catholics, non-re-
peelers or anti-repealers, who feel with us the absolute
necessity of a better protection for their lives, liberties,
and properties. Let us then cheerfully follow, assist,
and support these persons ; and I trust that every per-
son in Ireland will, as speedily as may be convenient,
send petitions to Parliament, and an address to the
QUEEN, praying for relief and protection:' We cor-
dially subscribe to every word of this advice, for the
agitation which it recommends is a just and neces-
sary one, and, unconnected as it is with Repeal, de-
serves to be strenuously supported by every thinking
and liberal man in Ireland. Mr. O'CONNELL is here
treading on firm ground, and advocates nothing but
what common sense approves, the Constitution allows,
and Ministers are bound to concede.. We say, there-
fore, with the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, by all
means let the agitation for perfecting the Relief Act
be carried on in a bold, unflinching, and persevering
spirit; and let the QUEEN be made fully acquainted,
with as little delay as possible, with the feelings of
her aggrieved Catholic subjects in Ireland.

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 doze at 26i at 60 days,
and the Five per Cents. at 19i at 60 days.

The Paris papers are almost entirely occupied
with the interesting discussion which took place in
the Chamber of Deputies on Saturday, and with com-
ments on the speech made by M. GUIZOT on the
occasion. It was one of the main speeches of the
session, and displayed much frankness and ability,
touching on every topic connected with the foreign
policy of the country, and dwelling at considerable
length on the peaceful relations between England
and France. As regarded Greece and Spain the two
countries had a perfect understanding. The French
Cabinet, on learning the peaceable revolution which
had taken place at Athens immediately, without con-
sulting the English Cabinet, sent instructions to the
French Minister at the Court of Greece to recognise
the new order of things. England adopted the same
course, and the two countries were in harmonious
union, though Russia took a widely different view of
the same facts. lie then adverted to the charge
brought against the Government for allowing an
English Consul to reside at Algiers without
having obtained an exequatur from France, and
defended the course pursued, on the ground that
the Porte had not recognised the sovereignty of
France in that part of Africa, and certain Powers
who maintained friendly relations with the SULTAN
had observed a strict neutrality on the question.
France, he said, under similar circumstances, would
probably hare done the same. After pointing out the
harmony which prevailed between these two great
nations, in reference to the possessions of France
in the Pacific, the independence of the Sandwich
Islands, and other questions of general policy,
he concluded by making an eloquent appeal to the
early fruits of the new alliance, and to the gratifying
visit of Queen VICTORIA to the Court of France.
" It is rare," said he, " that Providence allows the
friendly policy of nations to gather so quickly its fruits.
It is very rare indeed that those who have sowed have
been destined to reap, and I hesitate not to say, with
pride, that the fruits of that policy which I have
described are already manifest and undoubted,
not only _by us but the world. We wished
a real and sincere peace. We conceived,
and it was likewise conceived in London, that there
was room in the world for our two independent and
national policies, provided they should be kept
within the bounds of justice and good sense. Both
Cabinets, to their honour, as well as to the advantage
of their respective countries, have commenced and
inaugurated that policy of real and sincere peace—a
policy both novel and difficult, but nevertheless the
only good and honourable policy—which, although
prudent and moderate, is not divested of grandeur,
and which for being honest is not the less useful.
This is what we call the ' cordial understanding'
between the two Governments. I will not dwell on
facts purely personal, which were alluded to yester-
day with so much disdain ;—I will not speak of that
mark of friendship given by a young and charming
Queen to our King, our Government, and our revo-
lution ;—I will not speak of the fact which followed
that visit—the treatment experienced by the Duke
DE BORDEAUX—who was not received in London by
the Sovereign who had come to France to meet our
King. These are striking facts, which have pro-
duced in Europe a deep impression on Kings and
nations—facts, which have everywhere been justly
appreciated, and which have occupied the imagina-
tions and conversations of all Europe. I leave them
aside, however serious they are in reality." These
remarks were received with loud approbation, and the
Chamber adjourned.

LAW INTELLIGENCE

CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
The Lord Chancellor did not sit to-day, in conse.
quence of indisposition.

VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
The Vice• Chancellor of England was occupied the
whole morning with the arguments in the cause of "Far-
mer v. Farmer," in which the bill was filed for the pur-
pose of having certain deeds delivered up to be cancelled,
on the ground of the imbecility of the party executing
them.

QUEEN'S BENCH.—(THIS DAY.)
(Sittings in Banco.)
The Court took the special paper to-day. No case
of any public interest came on during the morning.
- - ---
COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY,)
(Sittings at Nisi Prins.)
GREGORY V. THE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK AND ANOTHER.
This was an action for a conspiracy, of which the
facts are familiar to the public. The verdict was for
the defendant, against which Mr. Sergeant Shea ob-
tained last term a rule nisi. Cause was shown by
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd for the defendants, and this
day Mr. Sergeant Shea replied.
The argument occupied the whole morning, and
the Court refused the rule.

POLICEINTELLIGENCE•
MARLBOROUGH-STRET.
(THIS DAy.)
On Mr. Maltby, the presiding magistrate, taking his
seat on the bench this morning, Mr. Clements, the
chief
officer, handed to him nine letters, addressed to the sitting
magistrates of this Court, all of which had been re-
ceived by post, or otherwise, since yesterday.
Mr. MALTBY said there was no doubt they contained
contributions for the poor box, but he should not open
them until he had communicated with his colleague, Mr.
Hardwick, on the subject, as he felt quite con-
vinced that great evil was arising from the
distribution of alms from that Court, in the
way it had been done for some time past. The
office was daily beset with shoals of applicants for relief,
'and the numbers were daily increased ; 51. per day were
given away, but it would require 1001. to relieve all that
applied ; it was also producing a very bad system in the
neighbourhood, many persons neglected their work to
apply for relief, and others resorted to deceit and fraud
to obtain it. Upwards of thirty donations were received
yesterday.
Mr. Fitzpatrick said that the practice, if persevered in,
would bring upon them the whole of the vagrants in the
parishes comprising the district of the Court ; for they
began to think they had an actual right to claim relief
from the poor-box. It was originally intended for the
succour of deserving objects in sudden exigency of dis-
tress, and not for permanent relief.
The chief officer said, that for many days past the
mothers of families, and others, were loitering:about the
Court during the day, taking the chance of being re-
lieved. When one obtained-it she directly sent another,
and so the continued applications were kept up from day
were also acquiring habits of idleness and
dta dayriniin ;theyg
Mr.
MALTBT said some steps should be taken in the
matter, and the conversation dropped.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)

LONDON, JAN. 23.—Wind this day at noon, fresh nor--
therly breeze and cloudy.
DEAL, JAN. 22.—Wind W.N.W. to N.W, light airs
and thick weather.—Arrived the Winscales, Conolly.
Batavia ; Hand of Providence, Bay of Fundy. Sailed
the outward bound.
PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 22—Wind E.S.E.—Sid. Sophia,
Madras and Calcutta.
CowEs, JAN. 22.—Sid. Madeline, Trinidad de Cuba.
FALMOUTH. JAN. 22.—Wind S.W., moderate.—Arrd.
her Majesty's steamers Hecate, Volcano, and Dwarf, all
bound to Cork.
PLYMOUTH, JAN. 22.—Wind S.E.—The United King-
, dom, which arrived here yesterday from Honduras, was
dismasted, 19th ult., in lat. 87, lon. 53, and lust sails,
bulwarks, &c.
SAUNDERSFOOT, JAN. 14.--Arrived Lady Phillips,
Lloyd, Pictou.
LIVERPOOL, JAN. 22.—Wind N.—Arrd. Huddersfield,
Dewsbury, Old Calabar, sailed Nov. 5, and from Fer-
nando Po, 13th ; Milton, Partridge, Cuba; Sirion, Gann,
Laguna (Nov. 26). Sid. Alexandrina, and Lady Flora
Hastings, Calcutta ; Helvellyn, Batavia ; Ben Nevis,
Hobart Town ; Action, and Antonio, Lima ; Valpa-
raiso, Valparaiso ; Hennes and Renard, Buenos Ayres ;
Coverdale, Bahia ; Eliza Johnstone, Pernambuco ; Hero
and Snowdon, Africa ; Camilla and Letitia, Demerara ;
Martha, Berbice ; Jessie Ritchie, Patriot, Minna, and
R Burns,
Allpai
avaacninliaohla;; AGinceolrigiaPhiladelphia ; Inde-
•, New Orleans ; Robert
dendunce, New York; Catherine, Halifax; Norval, New-
foundland ; Garoupa, Fayal.
JAMAICA, DEC. 23.—The Skipton, from Cape Hayti
to Hamburgh, has put in here, crew sick.
GENOA, JAN. 15.—The Abrota, de Sarvja, from
Lisbon to this port, was in contact, off Cadiz, with a
French brig, and bore up for that port with damage.
GIBRALTAR, JAN. 14.—The Ellen, Fayte, from St.
John's Newfoundland to Tarogona, put in here 12th
inst. with decks swept, &c.

THE LEAGUE FUND.--ROXBURGHSHIRE MEET-
ma.—A meeting of the county of Roxbur
ns gh took place in a
dissenting chapel in Hawick on the 20th itant, where from
1,500 to 2,000 persona were present. The Earl of Buchan
occupied the chair • and the fii6t speaker was John Ord, Esq.,
of Aluirhouselaw, Who, jointly with his brother, rents lands in
Roxburghshire at several thousands of yearly rent, one of his
landlords being Sir George Warrender, another the Marquis of
Lothian. Mr. Ord stated that last year he was opposed to a
repeal of the corn-laws, now he was in favour of a repeal. The
deputation addressed the meeting with their usual ability; and
the admirable peroration of %Ir. Moore absolutely electrified
the meeting. Air. Cobden declared that the unanimity and
enthusiasm of the meeting absolutely alp Pest surpassed any-
thing he had hitherto seen.

SUMMARY OF NEWS

AND

putiltr Opinion.

" Who runs may read."

FOREIGN.

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 0121 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 ; H. Passy, Finance ; Mar-
shal Valee, War; Du Came, 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 Journal 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'Angouleme 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.