The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-11 00:00:00

ruin it)

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1844'

On Mond.ty last Mr. O'CoNNELL made his appear-
ance in the Hall of the Repeal Association for the
first time since his escape from the undesired em-
braces of the Richmond Penitentiary. As might
have been anticipated, his reception by the thousands
who thronged the hall and all the avenues approach-
ing to it, was enthusiastic in the extreme ; and it
was full a quarter of an hour before the acclama-
tions ceased, and the great lion of the day was
allowed to address his excited audience. His speech,
though comparatively calm, was very decided in its
tone, and advocated the expediency of continuing the
Repeal agitation with renewed energy. But its
chief point may be found in the following significant
passage :—" I shall now lay before you," said Mr.
O'CosNELL, " a plan which I frequently proposed
last year ; I mean the collection of the Preservative
Society for Ireland, consisting of a body of three
hundred gentlemen sitting in Dublin. The point is
surrounded by legal difficulties, and must be ap-
proached with serious consideration. My plan is
shortly this— that three hundred gentlemen from the
various counties in Ireland should meet on a certain
day in Dublin, and that their title to meet sho. uld be
the handing in of a hundred
pounds eadch h ,theythe
should appoint a treasurer of their ow
working of their own funds. I do
not ainntenadvatltniet
they shall initiate y
anything, but that they shall
control everything, and that the Repeal Association
shall be completely governed by
them, and not ven-
ture on any act without their previous sanction. A
body of this kind would comprise so many of the
wealthy and influential of Ireland, that it would
be an effectual check to any rash, revo:utionary
outbreak, and would be a steady drag on the wheel
of the movement. It would be of that bearing on
society and high station, that it could enter into
treaty with Government,—it could arrange its own
plans with Ministers, and stipulate terms. And here
let me say, that I quite agree in making the experi-
ment of a federal Parliament. I want any Parlia-
ment which will protect Ireland, and I ask for no more.
I will this day week move for a Select Committee
to consider the possibility of such an assemblage
as I have just spoken of, and to prepare cases to have
laid before the most eminent lawyers of England and
Ireland." There are two points in the above passage
—to. say nothing of the leading proposition contained
init—which are well worthy of attention. The first
is, Mr. O'Corrmes announcement of his intention
to take no further step of moment—such, for in-

stance, as the gathering together of the three hun-
dred Repealers, with each a hundred-pound note in
his breeches pocket—without previously getting the
best legal opinions on the subject—an intention which
has no doubt been materially quickened by his very
natural dislike to pay another visit to the Rich-
mond Penitentiary. The second point is, the
speaker's evident apprehension of the progress of the
Repeal movement, which, in case it should become
too democratic and anarchical in its tendencies, he
proposes to check by the counteracting influence of
three hundred Repealers of birth, fortune, education,
and intelligence, who would have every possible in-
ducement to prevent the mere mob of agitators from
getting too much in the ascendant. This is the first
time, within our recollection, that Mr. O'Corninu.
has ever expressed the slightest apprehension of the
effects of popular sway in Ireland. Up to this period
he has invariably worked with the people—we here
use the term people in its most comprehensive sense—
but now, he seems to think it not impossible that in
the progress of the Repeal agitation they may be too
much carried away by wild, impracticable theories of
liberty, and consequently he proposes to raise up a
sort of moderating, if not antagonistic, authority, in
the form of a Society consisting of individuals who
from their position in the social scale cannot be
expected to have any very ardent sympathies with
the mob, but will make a point of checking them,
whenever their movements become embarrassing to
the interests of the higher and middle classes of
Irishmen. The proposition is a remarkable one, con-
sidering the quarter whence it emanates. It is just
as if a GRAccuuS should raise up an aristocratic bar-
rier against the encroachments of the democratic
principle ! Mr. O'CorizaLL's object in making it is
clearly two-fold. First, to restrain within becoming
limits the wishes, the feelings, and the movements of
the Irish masses as the work of agitation proceeds ; and,
secondly, to enlist the sympathies of the higher
and middle classes of his countrymen in the cause of
Repeal, by convincing them that they have nothing
to fear, inasmuch as there will be a Preservative
Society, possessed of immense influence, to stand be
tw•een them and the mob. Now this is all very well
in theory, so long as Repeal continues to be
as distant and improbable a remedy as it con-
fessedly is at present; but were an unforeseen
conjunction of circumstances ever to favour its pro-
gress ; were it once to begin seriously to occupy
men's minds in England, in consequence of the proved
inability or disinclination of Government to deal
justly by Ireland ; moreover were the vast masses of
the Irish people, instead of ardently hoping for
the advent of Repeal, to be fully impressed with the
conviction that it was close at hand—in such an excit-
ing state of things, the influence of Mr. O'CoisnaLL's
aristocratic Preservative Society would be as naught ;
the mob-orators and the mob-leaders—and plenty of
both would be sure to spring up in the Association
and else rihere—would carry all before them, by
holding out the wildest hopes and promises to
the deluded populace ; and the three hundred
members of the Preservative Society would, in the
universal frenzy of the moment, be as surely over-
whelmed, as the Girondists were by the Jacobins,
during the first stormy outbreak of the French Revo-
lution.

The spirit of St. Andrew-Agnewism, notwithstand-
ing the numerous public rebuffs it has received, and
he ridicule with which it has been treated, by the
more rational portion of the community, is far from
being yet extinct among us, but even now and then
gives such unquestionable indications of vitality as
satisfies us that it needs only a little encouragement
to become as active a nuisance as ever. It is not a
fortnight since a respectable individual named GRANT
was convicted at Brighton of having sold newspapers
on Sunday, notwithstanding that the practice is a
common one in the metropolis and many other of our
great towns and cities ; and has been so far from
injuring either the religious and moral feelings of the
people, that it has, in fact, been productive of consi-
derable benefit, by keeping some hundreds employed
in pleasant and instructive reading during those hours
which they might otherwise, from the want of such
harmless occupation, have spent in the coffee-room or
the gin-palace. It is not a fortnight, we repeat, since
this conviction of an unoffending tradesman took
place at Brighton ; and no later than last week, the
magisterial authorities of Gravesend, resolved not to
be behindhand with their Sussex brethren, enacted a
farce of a somewhat similar character. The leading
incidents in this egregious farce are as follows :
WILLIAM BRADSHAW, a poulterer, was charged in
the Police-court with having pursued on Sunday,
the Ist instant, his ordinary occupation of weighing
people for money. Inspector OXLEY stated that he
saw the defendant on that day weighing several
persons in a machine on Windmill-hill, for which
he received the sum of one penny from each indi-
vidual, and consequently he believed this to be his
ordinary occupation. In defence, it was urged by
the accused's solicitor, that he was a poulterer by vo-
cation, and that his weighing-machine was merely a
harmless mode of amusing himself and ethers on the
day in question. This defence, regarded even in a
legal view, to say nothing of its common sense re-
commendations, ought to have been successful, since
the law only prohibits people from following their
ordinary calling on the Sabbath, and makes no refe-
rence to their extra-ordinary occupations or amuse-
ments. The argument, however, was overruled by
the magistrate, who, in the excess of his puritanical
zeal, declared that he would convict in every proved
case of Sunday trading or Sabbath breach, until the
scandal of it was for ever removed from the regene-
rated town of Gravesend ; and then descending from
generals to particulars, the august official concluded
by fining the defendant five shillings and costs. We
cannot imagine a more absurd conviction than this,
or one less likely to answer the purpose which the
magistrate professes to have in view. Surely he
cannot seriously mean to put his threat into execu-
tion ! If he be really resolved to convict all those
who are found guilty of following their ordinary
vocation on the Sabbath, Heaven help the doomed
inhabitants of Gravesend! What is to become of the
Sunday steam-boat travelling to and from that un-
happy town ? What, of its numerous publicans, its
proprietors of tea-gardens, its hotel-keepers, and all
that large class who derive no slight portion of their
income by catering to the tastes of the shoals of
Cockneys, in whose eyes a Sunday pleasure excur-
sion to Gravesend is a matter of no slight moment ?
Are all these to be subjected to harassing annoyances
and persecutions, because the magisterial authorities
of the town happen to be fanatically disposed ? Be-
cause Mr. OXES is " virtuous," shall there be " no
more cakes and ale" at Gravesend ? We have no pa-
tience with such pharisaical cant! We have ever
strenuously protested against it, and shall ever con

tinue to protest, for to interfere with the harmless
Sabbath recreations of the people, is the very worst
means that can be adopted for promoting a religious
feeling among them. If their amusements be such as
are at variance with propriety and social order ; if
they tend to produce a breach of the peace, and rouse
evil passions among those who engage in them, then,
let them be put a stop to, since common sense and
justice alike call for their discontinuance; but if they
be manifestly inoffensive, and render those happy
and contented who would otherwise be devoured by
spleen and ennui, then, so far is it from being the duty
of a magistrate to endeavour to put an end to them,
that it is his duty rather to encourage, or at any rate
to abstain from all petty and vexatious interference
with, them. A Sunday crusade against railways,

steam-boats, wherries, the baker's oven, and the old
woman's fruit-stall, never yet made a people religious,
and never will make them so.

Accounts from Madrid, of the 3d instant, an-
nounce that Government have now no doubt of a
large majority of supporters in the new Cortes. The
result could hardly be otherwise, considering the
unconstitutional and despotic conduct of NARVAEZ
and his colleagues. The Heraldo, a Government
paper, thus boasts of the victory gained over the
Opposition
" The resuit of the elections of the presidents and
secretaries of the bureaux in the twelve wards of the
capital, has been favourable to the Parliamentary can-
didates ; the pure Monarchists, who presented them-
selves to dispute the victory, were left in an insignificant-
minority. The conduct of the Progresistas, who sacri-
ficed their private resentments, and came forward in a
j
few districts to ointhe Parliamentary electors in com-
bating the Absolutists, is entitled to our most sincere
praise, and ought to be, at the same time,a severe
lesson for those who indulge in the hope of bringing us
back to the days of the Torquemadas. No ; all the
Liberals would form an invincible phalanx, the moment

they should perceive that the institutions, conquered at
the price of their blood and fortune, were in danger.
Moreover, the show of strength made by the Absolutists
in Madrid, has only tended to cover them with a ridicule
which has fallen on the respectable persons who figured
on their lists of candidates. '

The Three per Cents. were done at 27/ at sixty
days ; the Five per Cents. at 19i ; and the Floating
Debt at 601 at sixty days.

Though the Ministerial journals of England and
France have been publishing from day to day articles
showing, or rather pretending to show, the condi•
tions on which an arrangement has been come to with
regard to the Otaheite affair, it was impossible to
ascertain what they really were. At one time
PRITCHARD was to be " thrown overboard" alone—
at another time he was to be accompanied by
D'AUBIGNY and BRUAT, while it turns out that the
Englishman is to be the only sufferer, neither BRUAT
nor D'AUBIGNY is to be recalled. There is to be no
disavowal of their acts—the expression of simple
regret, and the offer of an indemnity to Mr.
PRITCHARD, are all that the English Government
have obtained for "a gross outrage, accompanied by
gross indignity." But we will allow the French
Ministerial journal to tell the tale. " What did the
Opposition journals say scarcely three days back ?"
asks the Journal des Debats, with an air of triumph.
" They said that M. GUIZOT had offered to disavow
and recal Capt. D'AUBIGNY. They added that Eng-
land, not satisfied with the sacrifice of M. D'AUBIGNY,
in addition demanded the disavowal and recal
of the Governor, M. BRUAT. In a word,
the whole polemics of the Opposition, for
nearly a month, have turned on these two hypo-
theses, which served as a pretext to a thousand de-
clamations against either the weakness and baseness
of M. GUIZOT, or the intolerable pride of England.
The truth is now known. Did M. GUIZOT offer to
disavow and recal M. D'AUBIGNY ? No, since M.
D'Auaioxy is neither disavowed nor recalled. Did
the English Cabinet demand the disavowal and recal,
not only of M. D'AUBIGNY, but still more of M.
BRUAT ? Through whatever phases the negotiation
may have passed, one thing is certain, that the ar-
rangement is concluded, and that M. BRUAT is no
more disavowed and recalled than M. D'AUBIGNY.
M. GUIZOT must, therefore, be praised for his firmness
if he refused the double sacrifice demanded from him;
and the English Cabinet must be lauded for its
loyalty and moderation, if, after a more mature
examination, perceiving that there had only been, on
our part, a want of proper forms in the employment
of a right, it withdrew part of its demands. The Op-
position was so imprudent as to lay its siege before
hand. It reckoned, at least, on the recal and destitu-
tion of M. D'AUBIGNY. All their :pieces were ar-
ranged in battery to open on M. GUIZOT, the
day when it should be understood the sacrifice
was consummated. What then happens ? This
intractable England, which will have war
at any price, is satisfied with a regret
and a blame expressed by our Government. This
Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, who wants
peace at any price, has not even offered what the
Opposition supposed he would offer. He has not
yielded. Reckoning on the wisdom of the Govern-
ment of England, he adhered to his first propositions,
and at last brought Lord ABERDEEN anti Sir P. PEEL
over to them. No disavowal, no recal ! The expres-
sion of a simple regret, and the offer of an indemnity
to Mr. PRITCHARD ! Here was an occasion even for
the Opposition journals to congratulate themselves on
a result which they must haveaso little expected. But,
no, had M. BRUAT and M. D'AUBIGNY been recalled,
Mr. PRITCHARD sent back in triumph to Otaheite,
the ultimatum of which so much has been said, and of
which the National, as late as Thursday last, detailed
the dishonourable conditions accepted by the Minis-
try, there could not be a greater lamentation over the
humiliation of France. The National is of opinion
that the hour of our downfal has struck, and bewails
our ruined greatness, and all that apparently because
M. GUIZOT did not offer the disavowal and recal of
M. WAusioNr, and because England did not demand
the disavowal and recal of M. BRUAT. But we
shall not have war ; we shall not even have a Minis-
terial crisis. No, we shall not have war; two great
nations will not tear each other to pieces for a futile
subject of dispute ; two great Governments have had
the good sense to come to an understanding in place
of obestinately differing about a false point of honour ;
two Cabinets which pride themselves on having for
four years maintained a good intelligence between
the countries which they govern, hare declined offer-
ing to the world the odious and ridiculous spectacle
of a policy of peace, ending in a war of the most
foolish character! Let those bewail whose plans and
hopes are deranged by peace ! That war which
they thought they almost held within their grasp
escapes them, and they must now seek another
quarrel ! For our parts, we hope that the wisdom o f
the two nations, and the two Governments, will con-
tinue to confound their sinister designs ! We shall
not e en have a Ministerial crisis, and that is what
afflicts; the Opposition, which is only warlike because
the 31 inistry is pacific. The Opposition did not ex-
pect so happy and so honourable an arrangement; all
that it said for the last fortnight proves it, and the
anger it feels at being mistaken proves it still more."
Well. If this be a settlement, to use the words of
Sir )1 ()mar PEAL, " perfectly consistent with the
honor xr and the interest of both countries," all we can
say is. that his idea of honour is very different from
that itr almost every other Englishman. Indeed, the
Frenczh Opposition journals admit the fact, for while
they ptretend to blame M. GUIZOT for yielding one
inch, they say the conditions are dishonourable to
both countries. " They bring dishonour," says the
Nati( 'nal, "on M. Pima, because, after having in-
solent y and publicly demanded an ample repara-
tion, lie should not have been contented with a
paltry (mesquine) reparation." The Courrier Fran-
cais re, :Icons, that about 1,0001. will be offered to Mr.
PRITCHARD ; but, at the same time, expresses z hope
that ela en this sum will be refused by the Chambers.
Some hope, however, still remains that the affair is
not so, bad as represented by the French journals, and
we will, therefore wait, though impatiently, for some
more distinct explanation from the English Govern-
ment.

The following are miscellaneous extracts from the
papers r.—The National says—
" M. Cormenin is on the point of going to Spal n. The
Gover !merit under the Regency of Espartero, coi isulted
the Hon.. Deputy on the formation of the Coui icil of
State ; and as the Cortes, who are to meet on the 10th
of next month, will have to deliberate on this gm stion,
M. Co rnienin will probably be requested to give his ad-
vice upon it to the Ministry, and assist in drawn ig up
the proposed law."
The Bentinelle of Toulon, of Friday, says—
" Ministerial orders have been received for prittiing our
larger steam-ships upon a war footing, and for tuspecting
with care the batteries on our shores; but as ,to the ar-
maments of the ships in disponability and con mission,
which have been lately talked of, no arrangemel Its have
been made tending to confirm them. It is not *certain
that the Prince de Joinville will come to Toulon, as an-
nounced several days ago: because, according to recent
dispatches from the Minister of Marine, the I 'rince's
squadron is to be repaired at Cadiz, where his Royal
Highness will wait the further instructions of tl ie Go-
ment. The transport Aube is appointed to carry out the
requisite stores for refitting his squadron."
A letter from the camp of General LANOR ICIERE
states that 25,000 horse of the son of ABDEJSRA
after having been so severely beaten by the French
at Isly, were in their disordered retreat atti tcl zed by
the Kabyles and Berberes, and horribly cut u. p •
The Espectador of Madrid, which has mad * its re-
appearance, states that General NARVAEZ I lan pur-
chased, for 3,000,000 rials, the ancient hotel •of the
Marquis de TRANSTAMABE. We read in the 21 wdon-
nais of the sth :

" The Aemodee steam-frigate, which has just as 'rived
here, has brought an Aide-de-camp of the Pr in* :e de
Joinville, and urgent dispatches for the Gover at vent.
An estafette was immediately sent off to Paris. It ap-
pears certain that the Prince will wait at Cadiz fof • the
reply of these dispatches, and in this case his Royal
llighness cannot arrive at Toulon before the cnd of the
month. We are informed that the squadron w hicb Was
on the point of returning to France is to rem; .in until
further orders, part at Cadiz, and the other par t on the
coast of Morocco. The attack upon the island o f Moga-
dore by the Moors appears to have decided the Prince
on accepting new measures."
THE BOURSE—MowDiz, Szrr. 9. _

First Highest Lowest Last
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per C snts, essliv 120 . • 120 05 .. 119 95 .. 119 95
Fours., ox div...... 102 28 .. 102 20 .. 102 20 .. 102 20
Three per Cents.• •• • 81 85 .. 81 90 .. 81 30 .. il 90
Bank of France
Laflitte Bank, I,ooof. ShareslCBo ..1080 —lOBO •• 1 04 '0
5,000 f. Sharesso6o ..5060 ..5060 ..5 06( 1
Belgian Bank . .. 655 .. 655 .. 355 .. 45*

Belidsut Fives, 1831— • • 104 .. 104 104 .. 1f,4
Is4ll ..
Threes 76 50 .. 76 50 .. 76 50 76 50
Spanish Threes •••.•• •• .• 343 .. 34} 34} ..
Active 303 .. 31 30 31
Passive ...... •••••• 6 . • 6 .. 6 6
Old Deferred • • • . 7 .. 7 .. 7 .. 7
Dutch Two uuA-a-half 62 .. .. 62 Er^ -42