The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-07 00:00:00

fir ittnin

LONDON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1,Q44.

The I resent aspect of parties in Ireland is the most
grotesque and eccentric it is possible to conceive. All
is chaos and bewilderment—doubt—stupefaction—
mingled hope and despondency. No one appears to
know himself, but to entertain a sort of hazy, im-
perfect consciousness that he is somebody else. A few
years ago two Irishmen met on Westminster-bridge.
" How d'ye do, Flannaghan ?" said the one; " pretty
w.:11, I thank you, Mahoney," replied the other.
" My name's not Mahoney !" rejoined the former.
" And my name's not Flannaghan," retorted the
latter. " So we looked at each other," adds the
narrator of the anecdote, " and we found it was
neither of us !" Now we strongly suspect that if, at
the present crisis, an Orangeman were to meet a
Repealer in Dublin or elsewhere, and each were to
look at the other, each would have occasion to exclaim
with his countryman on the bridge, " we found it
was neither of us." The former, on being saluted as
an Orangeman, would, most likely, protest that he
was no longer a strict Orangeman, but was something
else—what, he did not exactly know ; while the
latter, equally at a loss fur a definite answer, would
say that he was not a Repealer, but, to the best of his
belief, he was a Federalist, or something of that sort!
While thus parties are in such a state of glorious con-
fusion that no one knows what be is, or what
system of Irish policy he may be induced to
advocate six months hence, forth steps Mr.
SMITH O'BRIEN to increase the general perplexity
by these extraordinary remarks. " I care not 133-
what name a fellow- countryman may denote himself.
Let him cling to the designation, ill-omened though
it be, of Orangeman. Let him adopt the new and
undefined appellative of Federalist. If he love Ire-
land—if he labour to promote its welfare—if he
cherish its glory as he prizes his own personal honour
—that man is our brother. His interests and ours
are the same—a common success will reward our
united efforts. I sincerely feel that nothing is re-
quired except internal union." It would appear
from the above passage that Ireland's welfare

may: be promoted by the Orangemen equally
as well as by the Federalists—that, in fact,
there is no earthly difference between them except
as regards mere name, and that, therefore,
they are bound to combine their energies in support of
their common country. But what are they to combine
for ? Is it for Federalism ?—is it for Repeal ?—or is
it for a restoration of the old Protestant ascendancy
system ? The Orangeman, if he still calls himself an
Orangeman—to which, by the bye, Mr. O'BRIEN has
not the slightest objection—will scarcely agitate ,for
the two former crotchets ; while the Repealer s ill
scarcely struggle to revive the days of the SAURINS,
the NORRURYS, the LEFROYS, &C. ! What then, we re-
peat, are they to combine for ? This is a question more
easily asked than answered. At any rate we, who are
DAvus, not CEDlrus, can give no satisfactory reply
to it. Mr. O'BRIEN'S strenuous exhortations to
union increases not a little the rich effect of his re-
marks. What possible chance can there be of union,
when Mr. O'CONNELL has just sown the seeds of dis-
sension among the Repealers by introducing his half-
way project of Federalism, and split them into two
distinct factions, each of whom in a short time
will begin to regard the other with the same
placid feelings of charity with which a High-Church
Bishop regards a stiff-necked Dissenter ? What
chance can there be of union, when the
Protestant party are all at sixes and sevens—one
portion of them calling themselves Orangemen,
another rejoicing in the title of Conservatives, and
both agreeing in nothing but their hatred of Repeal
and their distrust of Federalism ? When oil lovingly
amalgamates with vinegar—when the Bishop of
LONDON hob-a-nobs with Mr. Fox, the Unitarian, at
Fulham Palace—when Dr. PHILLPOTTS ceases to
bewail the loss of his rich Rectory of Stan-
hope when these impossibilities shall come
to pass, then—but not till then—we will be-
lieve that there will be a union among all
parties in Ireland for the furtherance of the cause
of Repeal I We grant that of late the Orange-
men have evinced more moderation and liberality of
sentiment than is usual with them, and that the Re-
pealers, in the hope of bringing them fully round to
their own views, are administering to them " soft
solder" in pretty copious doses; still, for all this, there
is less chance of a real, hearty union among parties than
ever ; and we will add, too, that so far from advancing,
the question of a Repeal of the Union has been daily
retrograding for the last three months and upwards,
and will not survive a year longer—except as the
mere clamour of a small faction—if Sir R. PEEL
will only make up his mind to come forward with
such remedial measures for Ireland as she has a right
to anticipate from the Imperial Government.

The account we have read of the proceedings that
took place a few days ago at the " Watlington Petty
Sessions," before Lord CAMOYS, has impressed us
with a momentary doubt as to whether we are really
living in free England, or writing in the Year of
Grace 1844. We are obliged to the Oxford Chro-
nicle for a report of the business transacted at
this justly-designated "PETTY" Sessions. Offences
of a character more trumpery ;—the invocation of
penal justice on account of more flagrant abuses of
legislation, under the name of " Game-laws ;"—a
more painful or contemptible exhibition of magis-
terial sagacity under the high-pressure action of
statute-vouched absurdity—we never heard of. The
whole account makes us blush for the point of civil
degradation we must have touched, when such
"serious fooling" as this—involving the personal
liberty, property, and action of fellow-countrymen,
whom, in our waking dreams, we have been wont tt,
term fellow freemen (!)—when such intolerable op-
pressions as these—can be openly enacted, in a legal
tribunal, with the forms of law—and tolerated by
the boasted majesty of public opinion. We hare,
ourselves, a passionate attachment to field sports ;
but we feel a stronger, because a better-reasoned,
attachment for our own species. It is well, we
think, that country gentlemen and landed proprietors
should be confirmed in their habits of rural residence
by any reasonable and legitimate means of encou-
ragement. But if the enjoyment of the sports we
mention be essential to this end, and form an im-
portant element of those means—that enjoyment
must be qualified, and those means must be sanc-
tioned—in reference to higher and more extensive
interests. They must not, for a moment, come into
collision with the first great principles of human
liberty and individual action, as these are reduced
but ascertained, controlled but protected, by the
enactments of general laws, and the usages of per-
mitted custom. They must not interfere with that
reserved liberty which these laws leave to man even
after this incorporation into the system of civilised
society, in things indifferent. Among these "things
indifferent," it would be difficult to show, on the
enunciation of the abstract propositions, that such
matters are not included, as how a man shall walk;
on which side of him he shall look ; what weapon he
shall carry in one locality that he shall not be
allowed to carry in another ;—what vermin he may
kill, and what he shall not touch, though others may
destroy it ad libitum. Now, the present Game-
" laws," as they are called, although they may be
the concentration of land-owning wisdom as developed
by its representatives for Sussex, and Hampshire,
and Wilts—for Norfolk, and Suffolk, and Essex—
for the East and the North, the South and the West
of broad England—cannot override the established
orders and ranks instituted by nature through all
the kingdoms of creation. Weasels and stoats she
prompts us to look at, intuitively, as vermin. They
are destructive and sanguinary. Hares are not
sanguinary, but they are very destructive, as the
poor cottager and small farmer, whose rising crops
are ravaged by puss's furtive propensities, know to
their cost. The Game-laws kindly concede to the
cottager and the small farmer the privilege of de-
stroying, by wholesale, stoats and weasels, which
neither consume their green corn nor devour their
turnips, nor commit petty larceny on their cabbage-
plants. llares, and even rabbits, those great de-
stroyers, the Alarics and Attilas, of garden devas-
tators—they must not even wound, nor unlawfully
detain in snare or springe. Not but these animals,
by their very fecundity, are vermin ; not but that
their community of habits with weasels and stoats,
in many respects (despite of their natural antagonism),
as in burrowing, &c., are vermin. But they are not
good for eating when shot at. Rabbits and hares are
good eating when shot ; but then small farmers,
or cottagers, or labourers, are not held good enough to
shoot them. Now, let us see how these canons of
squirearchical equity operate in practice.
At the Watlington Petty Sessions, ABRAHAM
BIRD was charged by a gentleman's gamekeeper—
we shall quote the words of the Oxford Chronicle's
report—" with the crime of carrying a gun across a
field leading to Stoken Church." Have the Irish
people so long assumed to themselves, as an "exclu-
sive grievance," the being subjected to an " Arms
Act," occasionally, whilst our English yeomen are
living under the infliction of a permanent tyranny of
this kind ? For what was BIRD'S defence ? The
gun bad been left at his house for sale, and he was
only carrying it to its owner. To his solemn assevera-
tion of this fact, the informing gamekeeper himself
attempted no denial—opposed not even the suggestion
of a doubt. The Bench adjourned the decision of
tais knotty case for a fortnight ; and at the end of
that period, the man was fined 11., and costs ! These
county SonoNs might just as well have fined one of
Mr. PIJRDY'S workmen, "detected" in the act of
carrying home a new double-barrelled piece to a
customer.

JOHN HAN\ KINS was charged by another man's
gamekeeper (Lora MACCLESFIELD'S) with actually
throwing a stone at a hare—not in any copse, or any
park or field, in which he had trespassed, but on a
footpath. The informer (a gamekeeper) admitted
that he was 200 yards off at the time from llawicnis,
and that HAWKINS was 30 yards off the hare when
he threw. It will be anticipated that the hare was
not hurt. wxiNs suggested an excellent reason
fur this, for he denied that he had thrown at all.
The prosecutor knew nothing else against him. What
*hould the Bench—(which seemed fully imbued with
that degree of wisdom that the hare itself will suc-
cc.ed to next March)—what should the Bench have
done with so trumpery a charge, thus utterly
unauthenticated by proof, and presumptively dis-
credited by the fair character of the accused?
the
Lordship gamekeeper Dismiss it with contempt, and costs, or at least a
reprimand, to amekeaenped his r ? Oh, no
op!
seemed
worships, or his
almost sorry that if the man did throw, he had not
proved himself a better shyer. HAWKINS had not

been sufficiently annoyed by being called before them
on so vexatious, so paltry a charge. They " ad-
monished" him. "If it had been proved that it was
a stone he had thrown" (it could not be proved, and
he denied that he had thrown at all), " they would
certainly have convicted him. But as the case stood,
they would give him the benefit of the doubt," for-
sooth ! In his place we would give the gamekeeper
the benefit of an action. The wisdom of their wor-
ships is beyond " doubt," altogether.
The same far-seeing gamekeeper next charged a lad
of fifteen " with looking at seven wires" (we quote the
words of the Oxford paper) "on the 15th ultimo. The
boy protested that, coming along the path, he did' see'
the wires ; that he did not attempt to touch them. He
was fined 155., including costs, and in default fourteen
days' imprisonment." This righteous sentence on a
free-born English lad was passed, not at Constanti-
nople, not at Cabul, not at Fez ; but by the Mufti of
Watlington !

Another party was charged with carrying a gun
for the destruction of game. (The latitude of con-
struction in charging design is of a " range," under
the Game-laws, that beats Captain WARNER's longest.
Why may not the gun have been for the destruction
of crows or rooks, rats or pole-cats ?) " Prisoner
was in the field, and when he" (qu. ? the prose-
cutor ?) " came up with him, he took his gun to
pieces and put it in his pocket." Fined 21., and
15s. 6d. costs.

Another " Joing HAWKINS" was seen by the same
amiable servant of Lord MACCLESFIELD, in company
with the preceding prisoner, whose name was " JOHN
HAWKS." This JoHr; HawKlNs was charged " with
keeping an instrument for killing game," i.e., "he
had a large stick in his hand." (1!) The informer,
PALMER, " did not see hint use it for any purpose."
(Why did not he charge the man with having two
eyes, two arms, two hands, and two legs, all "for
killing game," but not " seen to be used for any pur-
pose ?") The Bench really "deemed this evidence
insufficient to convict ; and this Join.; HAWKINS
" the luckier," like his namesake, was dismissed
scot-free.

One THOMAS HOWLETT (whether a pupil of PAL-
MER'S or not, is not stated) charged a farmer, named
EUSTACE, with keeping a gun for destroying game.
For if not for that purpose, what other could it be
for ? True, they brought up a witness to prove that,
on a stated day, the farmer had been seen, and in a
field, too, to fire at some birds ; but whether tomtits
or bustards, pheasants, or hedge-sparrows, no man
could tell ! So farmer EUSTACE, too, "stole away,"
and the prosecutor was " thrown out ;"—no sport.
But these proceedings have another phase, besides
their puerility. Do county magistrates imagine
that, at this time of day, against the universal feeling
of the public and of the press, they can venture, with
impunity, to trifle with the grave business of the
laws—to add to the burden of the expenses of criminal
prosecutions—to harass the peasantry of their district
by encouraging the worthless informations laid by
every gamekeeper who desires to impress his master
with an idea of his activity and usefulness, by hunting
up for fine and imprisonment every offender against
the strictest letter of the most oppressive and
selfish laws that disgrace our statute-book ?
Is this a time at which it is wise or safe
—expedient, necessary, or just—merciful or equitable
—to aggravate the sufferings of unemployed indigence
and thoughtless youth in the rural districts, by affix-
ing to the offence of looking at wires, or carrying a
gun, or shying a stone at a hare (if proved), the same
penalty which is awarded to misdemeanours of a
most disgraceful character, and even to some felonious
acts ? Is it, indeed, a mode to attach the peasantry to
the proprietary interest, or to inculcate respect for
the rights of property and station, to visit with the
the yet more enormous penalty of the disgrace attach-
ing to imprisonment in the common gaol, such inde-
scribably, petty, worthless, miserable escapades, as
those of the rural delinquents, tried before Lord
CAMOYS and Mr. J. BROWN ? It would be absolutely
sickening, were not the emotions of disgust over-
powered by those of anger, to see the liberty and the
conduct of the poorer classes so insolently trifled with
as they are by these " Game-laws." We will predict
their repeal for the next session of Parliament. They
cannot be submitted to.

Madrid journals of the 30th ult. have been received.
Preparations were in progress,for the trial of PRIM ;
he had on the 29th been committed to the barracks of
the Body Guard and confined in the tower. The
trial was expected to commence on the 2d inst. Ge-
neral SHELLY, assisted by two barristers, named
SIVRENT and MORENO, were to conduct the defence.
The Chamber of Deputies on the 30th resumed the
discussion on the Address. After a speech from
Senor This against the Ministerial plan of reform,
the Minister of the Interior announced his intention
of retiring from office if the proposed Bill should be
rejected. The Moderado party, he said, did not wish
to destroy the Constitution but merely to improve it.
Eteforin was necessary, because the Constitution con-
tained dangerous principles, such as that of the sove-
reignty of the people, which was absurd and imprac-
ticable. It was time to establish the Constitution on
positive principles ; and so general was the wish of
the nation in that respect, that in most of the elec-
toral colleges the candidates for the Deputation and
Senate had been obliged to pledge themselves to vote
for its reform.

Barcelona papers of the 30th ult. announce the
arrest of Brigadier DE Csms, in consequence of an
order from Madrid. They State, also, that four of
the individuals arrested on the 27th had been tried
and sentenced to death, and ordered for execution
within twenty-four hours.
On the Madrid Bourse the Funds continued firm,
he Three per Cents. being done at 271 for cash, and
28 271 at 60 days ; the Five per Cents. at 201 at 60
days ; the Floating Debt at 65i at GO days ; the
Coupons at 26 for cash ; and the Debt without In-
terest at 61 at 60 days.

The Paris papers still continue to give long ex-
tracts of letters from Madrid, with comments on the
late pretended conspiracy, and all the writers who
speak conscientiously declare that the affair at Madrid
as well as that at Barcelona, were plots formed, not
by the discontented people, but by the Government
itself. The Constitutionnel states that PRIM does not
leny the share he has taken in endeavouring to get
up an opposition to the plan for destroying the Con-
ititution, but to call that a plot or conspiracy is an
utter perversion of terms. He and his party are in
savour of that Constitution to which almost every
public man in Spain has sworn allegiance. The real
conspirators are NARVAEZ, CHRISTINA, and Co. "It
was reported yesterday," says that journal, "at the
Bourse that General PRIM had been shot. We have
tnade inquiries on the subject, and it appears certain
:hat nothing of the kind has been mentioned in the
lispatches which have reached j'aris. Ac:ording to
the intelligence communicated l$ the Government to
the Spanish Legation, it appears that General PRIi.
is implicated, not in the plot formed against NARVAEZ,
Out in a conspiracy to produce a pronunciamiento of
dl Spain against the Ministry. Amongst the papers
seized at his residence was the copy of a letter written
to one of the ex-Ministers of the REGENT, in which
he expressed his regret at having contributed to the
restoration of the Moderado party in his country.
The reply was also found amongst his papers. It ap-
pears that PRIM does not deny his participation in a
new conspiracy, and that he declares he will always
act in the same way against powers hostile to the
Constitution."

The Madrid correspondence of the National thus
describes the mock conspiracy :

the " Tp
rheet
emn
de n wed shnoahr
ea d
laidb e efno
ra tNfiarrsvta
et hz,e mostns tartu ck
pr
ews
ei
ntht
to recognise that this odious affair was prepared and
combined beforehand by that General himself, and his
right hand, Aviraneta. There are in all this history
details so clumsy, such a shocking want of consistency,
that no person can be longer deceived by it. It will be
always easy to the head of a police to find in a great
city instruments for the most perverse designs, and if
Signor Aviraneta should take it into his head to get up
an infernal machine, he will only have to search his
pocket to pull out the plan and its mode of execution.
Narvaez turns the incident to account with the greatest
eagerness, and as if the grand conspiracy was not suffi-
cient for him, he employs his agents in the Cortes to
operate on the timid Deputies, who were disposed to op-
pose the project of reform. Signor Quinto, Director-
General of the Post-office, has been saluted as the prin-
cipal agent in this wretched farce. He declared at first
that he was opposed to the destruction of the Constitu-
tion, and then gave in his resignation, that he might, he
said, have more liberty of action. To•day, in address-
ing the Ministers on the pretended attempt of assassina-
tion, he gave vent to protestations of devotedness, and
indulged in violent declamations against the revolu-
tionists! It follows, of course, thanks to the terror
disseminated in the Cortes, that the destruction of the

Constitution will pass by a large majority. In terror
Narvaez is quite a prodigal, and I know positively that
some Deputies, imbued with a little fancy of opposition,
have received anonymous letters, containing the most
frightful threats. That means were not required to make
~he cowards give way: Public opinion in Madrid and
she provinces is becoming more excited from day to day
at the sight of what passes already, and at the prospect
of what is being prepared. What will happen after the
Cortes shall have sanctioned the ruin of the Constitu-
tion ? What will happen if Prim be shot, as the mad-
men announce openly? It is always a perilous matter
to prophecy, particularly respecting Spain, where two
and two do not make four."

The only domestic intelligence in these papers is
the reconciliation of the Paris bar with M. SEGUIER,
President of the Cour Royale. At the meeting of
the Court, on the 4th, the Procureur-General, after
alluding to the unfortunate differences which had
caused such confusion, expressed a hope that all
parties would show a conciliatory spirit, and give
each other mutual assistance in the difficult duties
falling to the lot of each of them. The President SE-
SUIER said a few word.; in reply, in which he ex-
pressed his great respect for the bar, and the pleasure
it gave him that they should again meet in unison,
and determined, as magistrates and counsel, to labour
in their several vocations for the service of the KING
and the good of the people. This was considered
satisfactory ; and the bar, after a brief consultation,
resumed their labours. The following is the latest
intelligence from the army in Algeria:—
On the 27th Marshal Bugeaud proceeded to the nuts
of the Flissas-el-Bahar, on the spot where the affair took
place with General Coueman. The Flissas did not wait
for our troups, but abandoned all the villages, taking
with them their wives, children, and flocks, but leaving
all their corn and provisions. The village of Tezerara
was taken, and immense quantities of corn and dried
figs were found there. The Flissas-el-Bahar are terri-
fled ; they have sent to the Marshal as a flag of truce a
cadi of the Isser, who resides with them. On the 28th
the Marshal left for the neighbouring mountains, on the
side of Beni Djanad. An engagement took place between
the column which he commands and 3,000 to 4,000 Ka-
byles. The enemy were placed in a strong position, but
they were attacked with so much spirit and energy that
they soon gave way, and were pursued to a distance of
four leagues from the field of battle. They lost a great
number of men, but we had only eight or ten put hors de
' combat. The Flissas-el-Bahar took no part in the con•
flict, and carite on the 29th and offered their full and un -
conditional submission. It is to be presumed that the
Beni Djenads will do the same."

THE BOURSE--TuusDAY, Nov. 5.

First Highest Lowest Last
• •

Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per Csnts•• .• • • 119 35 .. 119 50 .. 119 35 .. 119 45
Three per Cents.— •• 82 30 • • 82 40 .. 82 30 .• A 2 35
Bank of France • 3075 .. 3075 .. 3072 50 —3072 50
Laffitte Bank, I,ooof. Sharesllls ..1115 ..1115 ..1115
5,000 f. Sharesso4o .•5050 ..5045 .•5050
Belgian Bank ..• .•• • • 655 .. 655 .. 655 .. 655
Belgian Fives,lB4o •••• • • • • 103 i •• 1031 1031 .. 103 j
Two•and•a-Half 62 .. 62 • • 62 • . 62
Spanish Threes.. •.• • • 35 .. 35 .• 35 .. 35
Passive . 51 • . bi • • 51 .. St
Portuguese Five per Cents • • 53 • • 53 .. 53 • • 53
Neapolitan •••• • • • • • 99 .• 99 25 • • 99 .. 99 25
Roman 106 .. 104,- • • 106 • • 106}

RAILWAY SHARES.
St. Germain... •••• • 930 .. 935 .. 930 .. 935
Versailles, 400 .. 400 • • 400 .. 400
L.B.•••••• ..•• •• 287 50 .. 290 .. 287 50 .. 290
Rouen .. • 1035 . 1038 75 ..1035 ..1038 75
Rouen to Havre •
Orleans lO2O —1025 .. 1020 —1025
Strasburg to Bale.. •• 278 75 .. 278 75 .. 277 50 . 278 75
Avignon to Marseilles-- 820 . 825 .. 823 825
RAILWAYS FOR THE ACCOUNT, •. ov. 15.
St. Germain ...... • 922 50 540 .. 922 50 .. 935
Versailles, R.B.— .. • ... 400 .. 400 .. 400 • • 400
L.B.
Rouen .• ••••• • •• 1032 50 ..1037 50 ..1032 50 1037 50
Rouen to Havre— •• •• 772 50 782 50 • 772 50 .. 782 50
Orleans .• •••• • • • ••• • —.1022 50 —1026 25 ..1022 50 —1026 25
Strasburg to Bale. •
A.vignou to Marseilles •• • • .. 811 50 .. 827 50 .. 817 50 .. 526 25

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS. The total
number of deaths during the week, ending Saturday
Nov. 2, was 966, showing a slight increase as com-
pared with the previous week, but still much under
the average. Deaths from small-pox and scarlatina
are still numerous, amounting respectively to 36-72,
while the average is 17-45. In almost every other
instance there is a decrease. The 36 deaths from
small-pox occurred at the following ages :—two
under 1 year ; eight 1-3 ; nine 3-5 ; eleven 5-10 ;
three 10-20; and three 20-30 years. The following
is an analysis of the list of violent deaths :—Fracture
or contusion, 3 cases, of which 1 was by machinery,
and 2 by falls; wound, 2 cases (suicides); drowning,
2 cases (both accidental) ; hanging, 1 case (suicide) ;
suffocation, 3 cases ; poison, 1 case (murder) ; and
scald, 1 case. Total, 11 males and 2 females.—Rain
in inches, 1.69.