The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-03 00:00:00

THE RAMBLER.

Similar in character to the f,regoing periodical,
the Rumbler is equally deserving of considera-
tion. While the first contrinution, by the very
nature of its theme, " Religion and Modern
Philosophy," as:Alines to a general im-
portance, the second being a notice of " Celebrated
Sanctuaries of the Madonna," is important only to the
believers in Catholicism. " Brief Notices of some
Writers of the English Franciscan Province since the
era of the Reformation," form the prelude to the
theological reviews contained in the September instal-
ment of the Rditabier, from one of which, a criticism
on the recent writings of the Abbe Game and Dr.
Miley, we extract the following remarkable introduc-
tory passage :
" When the glorious tempt. of King Solomon arose in
all its splendour upon Mount Sion, neither hammer, nor
axe, nor any tool of iron was heard within the sacred
precincts dui ing the building. La fitting though humble
emulation of Cha works of the God of nature, its PaISIVO

walls and airy roof sprang upwards in silence. Though
the weakness of E 3 au was unab'e to copy the perf,et
stillness with which the planets may° along► their spheres,
with which the tides ebb and flow, the trees and plants
bud and boss am; still, so far as human ingenuity could
aid huinan weakness, the cal thly &le:ling-place of the
Divine glary was disturbed by no harsh and ear piercing
clamours; no mighty sound awoke the ochres of its
courts until the voice of praise and thanksgiving came
forth from the throng of worshipping Israelites."
"Such," says the writer, " was the rise of the tem•
poral power of the Vicar of Jesus Christ." The
comprehensive " Ecclesiastical Register," at the con-
clusion of the magazine, contains allusions to the mi-
racle at Rimini, to the imprisonment of Monsignor
Franzoni, and to the elevation of Bishop Wiseman to
the Cardinalate.

different kind, of extraordinary cheapness, is that of
the Penny Maps, published by Messrs. Chapman and
Hal', and engraved by Mr. Joseph F.R.G.S.
The second part, just i$ sued, comprises maps of Eng-
land, Ireland, and Scotland.

LONDO N, TUESDA Y EVENING, SEPTEMBER 3, 1850.

SIR CHARLES NAPIER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—lt is now well known that Sir Charles apier
bas tendered the resignation of his command in India,
but it is not known why; and in that country and in
England inaccurate tales are rife as to the causes of
his quitting an office to which he was called by the
united voices of Sovereign and people when India was
thought to be reeling, and he the fittest man to pre-
vent it falling.
Some of the causes assigned are idle attempts of
Indian editors and correspondents to account for what
they do not understand, but others have been con -
cocted with a yiew to repetition in this country, with
foul additions and arguments, to effect the dishonest
purpose of prejudicing the public mind against a Ge-
neral whose faults are that he has gained great battles,
governed a large province with ability, and vigour-
ously commenced a military reform, admitted by all
to be needed, but which few would have had the
judgment and courage to attempt. All this has given
offence, to conceited power and private interest.
It has been said that a difference has arisen be-
tween him and Lord Dalhousie, because of some bar-
rack building—because of his disbanding the 66th
Regiment without reference to the Governor- General
—because he desired war, it is not said with whom,
and that Lord Dalhousie desired peace—because the
Commander-in-Chief attempted to usurp the power
of Government, and when mildly corrected replied
with intemperate language, and resigned.
These mixtures of a little truth with great false-
hood have been commented upon with all paid-for
malignancy in certain journals whose vulgar enmity
to Sir Charles Napier on former occasions has been

exposed and rebuked. Wherefore, knowing how
true the Chinese proverb is, that though lies have no
legs to stand upon, they have wings, and fly a great
way, I, in defence of an absent brother, beg, through
the medium of your universal journal, to state-
1. That it i 3 true Sir Charles Napier has tendered
his resignation on account of a difference between
him and Lord Dalhousie; but it is not true that this
difference arose about barrack building—or from any
desire to make war—or because he disbanded the
66th Regiment—or that his language was intemperate
and unbecoming—or that he resigned peevishly.
The real cause of that step was a diff rence between
him and the Governor-General on a vital point of
public interest, accompanied by circumstances which
rendered it imperative upon Sir Charles Napier to re-
sign the high office conferred on him by his Sove-
reign; and he is prepared to justify his conduct to
that gracious Sovereign and to the public, proudly
confident that he has served both well, and would
have served them better, if be had been permitted to
combine such service with that self-respect which no
man can relinquish without dishonour.
W. NAFIER, Major-General.

IRELAND.
HARVEST PROSPECTS.
DUBLIN, MONDAY MORNING.—Again is it the
pleasing task to announce that all the last reports are
highly favourable, end that it is not presuming too
much to anticipate the certainty of an abundant har •
vest. The accounts of the potato blight every day
are becoming more rare, and, although there is no
doubt that a portion of the crop is unfit for use, the
quantity that will remain for consumption far ex-
ceeds the expectations of all who, but a few weeks
since, entertained such dreary views with regard to
the prospects of the ensuing year. North and south
pauperism is rapidly diminishing, and other symptoms
of improvement among all classes are gradually mani-
festing themselves. A moderate Conservative journal
(the Dotenpatrich Recorder) has the following re-
marks upon the subject :
"It is gratifying to consider that,:at present, there is
much g' neral comfort, even among the lower classes,
arising from the improving state of several branches of
trade, and the moderate priers of the necessaries of
life. Pauperism is on the decrease. It appeared from
the usual return of the state of our own work-
house last week that it contained then but 450 paupers,
(hough it was built to accommodate I,ooo—that is
t.) say, it is not half full. It is the same with re-
spect to other workhouses; their inmates are diminish-
ing in numbers. This diminution does not arise solely
from the employment required at the harvest, as it was
going on gradually for several months past. Now, if
pauperism be on the decrease, it is not only a blessing to
those who were paupers themselves, but it indirectly—
almost directly—benefits both farmers and the whole
ratepaying community; far it diminishes poor-rates, and
consequently strikes off a part of the heavy burden with
which the upper and middle classes are chiefly saddled.
The diminution of pauperism is also attended with ano-
ther consequential advantage, namely, the decrease of
crime, which is alike an annoyance and a source of loss
and expense to the honest portion of the community.
But while prices are reasonable to the consuming
classes, they are at the same time such as to encourage
the farmer. The prices of new grain in our markets
aro surely calculated to give him confidence. We
see that new oats have opened at from se.
to 6s. per cwt.; wheat, from Bs. to Bs. 10d.; while
an advance in barley has lately taken place. Why,
we remember oats 4s. to is 6d per cwt. at the com-
mencement of the season, in corn-law times too, and the
crop not better than it is at present. If 4s. per cwt. was
the occasional price, under such circumstances, surely
the present prices, from ss. to 65., with oats an abundant
crop and trade free, are not to be despised. We are
strongly of opinion that the advantages of corn-laws
were over-estimated, and that too great a panic was ex-
cited by free trade. Both landlords and tenants have
suffered by what was called protection. War prices, and
subsequently protection prices—for when the stimulus of
war was removed the stimulus of corn-laws was substi-
tuted—led to high rents; high rents led to improvidence
and extravagance, the consequences of which have been
partially seen, and only partially, in the Encumbered
Estates Court."

The Drogheda Conservative states that the wages
of labourers in that district average Is. 6d. a day,
and that harvest operations have produced their
effect on the pauper population, which is vastly de-
creased in the union workhouses. Oat and in-door
relief is not one-half of what it was this time twelve-
month.

DEATH OF A FLAG OFFICER.
The morning papers announce the death of Ad-
miral Robert Dudley Oliver, for a number of years
resident of Dublin, and an active member of the Bible
and other religious societies established in this city.
His demise, which was occasioned by a severe attack
of paralysis, took place yesterday, at his country re-
sidence, Barnhill, Dalkey. The gallant officer had
reached the mature age of 83 years.

SERIOUS AFFRAY NEAR EALLINASLOE.
The Western Star contains the following state-
ment :

" On Wednesday last Mr. John Kelly, poor-rate col-
lector, proceeded with three assistants, named Murray,
Gavan, and Kenny, to distrain for poor-rates due by a
man named Turley—the amount 11/. 3s. After going
on the lands of Ballymana, and seizing eleven head of
cattle, several people collected and succeeded in rescuing
the cattle, with the exception of one cow. Some blows
were given at both sides, when Mr. Kelly and his men
were attacked with stones. Murray was struck by a
stone on the forehead, which forced the blood through
his ears and nose; and Mr. Kelly was hit on the back of
the head and some other parts of his body. He had a
double-barrelled pistol in his hand, and when knocked
down two or three of the rescuers' held him, wrested
the pistol from his hand, searched his side pocket for
another pistol, which they got, and when taking it out
also took 501. in notes, either through mistake or de-
sign. So &fr. Kelly states. Mr. Kelly and his party,
however, got away, and came into town, when Murray,
who received such dreadful injuries, was put into the
hospital. He is the only support of a widowed mother.
We understand that the lands on which the seizure was
made were waste, and the cattle found there belonged
to a number of poor farmers living in the neighbour-
hood."