The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-24 00:00:00

Ult

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 1850.

A significant allusion was made on Saturday even-
ing to one of the most felicitous testimonies ever
afforded of the advantages accruing from British
sympathy with the constitutional movement of a
foreign population. This testimony, in favour of the
policy pursued by Lord PALMERSTON, is altogether
so remarkable, and has been hitherto so egregiously
overlooked, that we deem ourselves more than justi-
fied in directing the particular attention of the public
to it, as a matter otherwise likely to be passed by
without observation, having been merely inciden-
tally mentioned in one of the speeches delivered
at the banquet to the Foreign Secretary. The re-
ference of our observations is to the attitude assumed
by the Spanish nation at a period when the rest of
the European countrie; were convulsed by revolu-
tionary agitations. The tranquillity maintained,
generally speaking, at that momentous zpoch through-
out the chief portion of the Spanish peninsula must
assuredly be regarded as a. token favourable to the
diplomatic system of the Liberals. It was an evi-
dence, at any rate, that the social changes effected of
late years among the Spanish multitude has been
beneficial rather. than • retrogressive. Even with
arbitrary men in power at Madrid, even with men
whose despotic predilections and dpmineering tem-
perament induced them to display an indecent amount
of iiri,ability towards• the Ambassador from the
Court of St. James's, it was evident that the
Spaniards were still so far advanced by the spirit of
their political institutions that they, almost alone,
among the continental nations of Christendom,
preserved their bearing of serenity during a time of
extraordinary turbulence. The fact was conspicuous,
and it was not less satisfactory than conspicuous.
Looking back to those times of prevailing anarchy,
it is a circumstance somewhat entitled to
consideration, that Spain and Belgium were
almost the only portions of continental
Europe that shared with England the glory of pre-
at ring an aspect of almost unbroken tranquillity.
Belgium, it is sufficiently well known, has progressed
within the thirty years last past very wonderfully in
the scale of civilization. Her improved prosperity,
her moral amelioration, and her intellectual develop-
ment alike arrest the scrutiny of the philosopher and
merit the panegyric of the historian. Within the
same interval, moreover, Spain, if less perceptibly,
has not less actually advanced socially and
commercially, morally and intellectually. This
good moreover has been secured in her instance in
defiance, as it were, egthe most-unpropitious circum-
stance. While intrigue has been nurtured in the
palace, while deterioration has been evident in the
Government, while licentiomess has beau pc/W*4 1

in high quarters, and the manners of the barracL.-
room introduced into the saloons of the Administra,•.

tion —the people have steadily progressed in the way
of general civilization.

Naturally, of course, the multitude, while securing
to themselves the advantageous qualities accompany-
ing the great national improvement, or rather, perhaps,
we should say in consequeneepf the acquisition of those
qualities, have acquired likewise a greater semiitive-
ness to the short-comings of their rulers. They- have
regarded, indeed, the proceedings of those exalted
personages for a long while past with conflicting emo-
tions of dismay and suspicion. So enormous, indeed,
has the national suspicion become, that them oat ex-
travagant rumours have been set afloat, and by some
individuals it would even appear actually believed, in
reference to the recent birth of an heir to the Crown
of Queen ISABELLA. Reports so exaggerated
have been flitting about since the announce-
meat of the premature decease of the Royal
infant, as to be comparable only to the stories pro-
mulgated in the seventeenth century, in allusion to
the birth of a son to the unfortunate King JAMES the
SECOND, stories which cannot even now be forgotten
in respect to Father PETER and the warming-pan.
Whisperers, in feet, have gone so fix as to question, on
one hand, the reality of the reported birth, and, on
the other hand, the possibility of the child having re-
ceived fair-play—the former insinuation being
directed against the possessors of the Crown, and
the latter against the aspirants for its possession.
Meanwhile the recent sojourn of the Duke and
Duchess DE Moserranstan in the peninsula has re-
vealed a fact of no slight importance, namely, that
the heirs presumptive to the Spanish diadem are
cursed with a notorious unpopularity. Even under
circumstances calculated to put the people in the beat
temper imaginable, namely, during the performance
of their favourite amusement, bull-fighting, when
the matadors have bent the knee in homage to the
INFANTE and her French husband, the crowd has tes-
tified its annoyance by the moat undisguised sibilation.
Mach of this unpopularity of course may be attri-
buted to the jealousy inspired by a sense of the
Orleanist intrigue in which the marriage originated ;
but, no matter what the source to which it is trace-
able, the fact is at once unmistakeable and important.
Another subject for consideration for all those who
would conjecture the future reserved for Spain and
the Spanish population, is the espousal of a Neapolitan
Princess by the Conde DE BIONTEMOLIN. The bridal
festivities of the son of Don Caunos had more-
over, it should be remembered, been preceded
by the marriage of his most chivalrous adherent, the
celebrated General CABRERA, the hero of Catalonia—
' each of those occurrences, purely personal though they
may appear, being calculated to affect in a remark-
able manner the fortunes of the peninsula.
Within the last few days a desire on the part of a
certain class of French politicians has been avowed
in the columns of. the Assemblie Nationale, that the
Republican Government of France should, in the
event of the demise of Queen ISABELLA without
offspring, resume the policy of the Orleanists, by
merging all consideration for the wishes of the
Spanish people themselves in the question of the pre-
dominance of French interests in the peninsula.
Against such doctrines as these the genius of this age
of liberality and civilization protests most audibly.
The problem to be solved fur Spain, as for any nation
similarly situated, is, not the predominance of French
interests, or the predominance of English interests
in her government, but the establishment of free
institutions, and the consolidation of a constitutional
authority, in accordance with the will of the Spanish
people—whether the personage selected by that
people, for the conduct of its affairs be the Duc DE
MONTPENSIEE, the Conde DE AIONTEMOLIN, or some
unborn child yet destined to succeed to the sceptre of
ISABELLA.

After sustaining four distinct and unequivocal de-
feats on the Attorneys' Certificates Bill, the Go-
vernment have at length succeeded, on a filth trial, in
obtaining a majority, and thus throwing out this just
and equitable measure for the present session. It
had reached the last stage of its progress—the third
reading—and, as it was a subject on which the here-
ditary branch of the Legislature could not interfere
with the decision of the representatives of the people,
there appeared to be but little doubt of a satisfactory
conclusion to the contest. The cup, however, has
been dashed from the lips of the eager expectants ;
tbtir reasonable hopes have been frustrated, even
at the eleventh hour ; their exulting plasma have

been changed into lamentations. These unto-
ward results have been produced, not through
any accession of strength on the part of their oppo-
nents, but by the scandalous neglect and apathy,
the gross dereliction of duty by their professed
friends. Had the 139 gentlemen who, on the 15th
instant, recorded their votes in favour of the second
reading of the Bill, and thus affirmed its principle,
been in attendance on Monday evening last, the
measure would have been sanctioned by a majority
of 27, in place of being rejected by 24, and Sir
CHARLES WOOD would have learned that no Ministry
can with impunity disregard the dictates of fair play
and common honesty. The 51 absentees have indeed
much to answer for, and they cannot plead the want
of sufficient notice. On the preceding Saturday we
emphatically cautioned them against the "dodges"
that would be attempted, and exhorted them that
they should not, "in the moment of victory, exhibit
any apathy or negligence that might by any possibility
convert their former triumphs into an ignominious

defeat." The salutary warning was, however, in
♦ain; they suffered themselves to be drawn by other
pursuits from the performance of the important duties
they had undertaken. Perhaps the mysterious in-
fluence of the Ministerial " whipper out" —the pa-
tronage Secretary of the Treasury—might in some
degree account for the absence of " the dirty half
hundred." But, whatever might be the cause, we
trust that the numerous and influential body whose
interests were so shamefully disregarded will scru-
tinize the division lists of Monday, the 15th, and
Monday, the 22d of July, with curious eyes, and
rtquire full and satisfactory explanations when Hon.
Gentlemen are again appealing to their respective
constituencies for a renewal of confidence. We
would earnestly recommend to the profes-
sion that the names of those who voted
on the five divisions, for or against the Govern-
ment, should be printed, and hung up in the office of

every attorney and solicitor in the United Kingdom,
to be referred to in case of a vacancy in the represen-
tation of the district in which he resides. If this
course be adopted, and that the-fifty-one absentees be
marked with double lines of black,. we premise that
extraordinary vigilance will be exhibited on the re-
appearance of the Bill next session, and that the ob-
noxious tax will only once more be demanded.
Each person interested will thus, for the outlay of a
few pence, get rid of an annual payment of 121., or
of Si., as the case may be, according to the locality
in which he resides. It will be a cheap mode of at-
taining a great object. We trust that this hint will
not be thrown away upon the acute and clear-
headed parties who have just sustained so grevious
a disappointment.

But, although Sir CHARLES Woon has achieved a
temporary triumph, he will have but little cause for
self-gratulation. There is 4' a good time coming,"
when the entire taxation of the country must be sub-
jected to revision, when he will no longer be enabled
to defend unfair and unjust imposts on the ground
that there are other duties equally atrocious—when
a tax is to be judged of nut on its own intrinsic
merits or demerits, but according to the propriety of
other taxes, which are still maintained despite the
serious objections that may be put forward from time
to time. Next year the property and income-tax will
expire. Five-and• a• half million of pounds sterling will
be taken from the revenue at one fell swoop, and -11.1 -

histers, if they desire to preserve the public credit, and

to meet the interest of the national debt, must apply
to Parliamekt for a renewal of the charge. This
necessity w ill afford a golden opportunity to fiscal
and financial reformers for remodelling the public
burdens, and distributing the weight more equitably,
[ so that every man in the community may contribute
to the exigencies of the nation secundum statum et
facultates. Such a chance cantot again arise for many
years, possibly never. It is certain that an attempt
will be made by Ministers to render it perpetual, but
that should be most strenuously resisted until it be
extensively modified and placed on an entirely new
basis, so that the precarious earnings of industry—of the
diligent tradesman, or the hard-working profesaional

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