The Sun.
London, England, 1821-11-27 00:00:00

action of civilization. . It is clear that the areal
tendency of laws, and of man's own instinct to
improve-, does not intluence the condition of the
iri,;ll. There is an obstinate barbarism upon
which the progress of time mates no_ impression,
or if it remain inert for a period, is roused again,
like a giant refreshed, .to a more terrible and
destructive exertion of its strength. Never was
there a country upon which so many experiments
in the way of statesmanship have been. made,
from Sir Johh Perrot to Mr. Grant. Many of

these 'political doctors were humane, enlightened,
and full of zeal-to do good ; yet does that small,
compact extent of territory, eminently favoured
by nature, remain the last hold of barbarism in
the midst of European civilization, a disgrace
not only to the British Empire, its Laws, and
Government, but to Europe itself, and the cen-
tury in which we live. The state of Ireland is
worse than any thing that we hear of even among
the savage hordes of America, whether left to
their own barbarism, or in contiguity to the cupi-
dity and tyranny of more civilized neighbours.

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]
The Public will cease to entertain any feeling
of surprise at the John Bull's having so long and
daringly persisted in the • publication of the
grossest libels, when they learn tkat it has done
so under an impression that the Courts of Justice
might be influenced in their proceedings by
COurt favour. That infamous Paper of Sunday
last, in an attempt to prove itself unsupported
and unconnected with Government, remarks,
that " an imprisonment of nine months each, and-
a fine to the amount of 1100/., are no marks of
Court favour!"
,The writer thus argues, that an
inference may be drawn respecting the favour in
which the party is held by Government, from
the measure of punishment inflicted
,by a Court
of Justice. Was- there ever a more gross insinu-
ation conveyed against the purity of our Judica-
ture ? But no doubt this erroneous impression has
given confidence to this secret gang of literary,
miscreants in the pursuit of their detestable la-
bours—well assured of the good wishes of Mi-
nisters, and presuming Judges to be corrupt,
they confidently proinised to themselves, and
their tools, the most complete impunity ; they,
have happily, however, for the peace of families,
found themselves woefully deceived. As for
Ministers and their creatures, who have by the
-absence of censure, or by indirect support en-
couraged this gang, we would only suggest to
them the wisdom of considering the following
passage from one of Addison's papers in the
Spectator : •
I have never yet heard of a Ministry Who have inflicted an
exemplary punishment on an author that has supported their
cause with falsehood anti scandal, and treated in a:most cruel
manner the names of those who have been looked upon as their
rivals and antagonists. Would a Government set an everlast-
ing mark of their displeasure upon one of those infamous writers
wno mak.ts his court to them by tearing to pieces the reputation
of a competitor, we should quickly see an end put to this race
of vermin, that are a scandal to Government, and a reproach to
human nature. Such a proceeding would make a Minister of
State !dine in history, and would fill all mankind with a just
abhorrence of persons who should treat him unworthily, and em-
ploy. against him those arms which he scorned to -make use of
against his enemies.

[TII E TIMES.
We did not suppose that we should have been
again compelled to call the attention of the public
to the subject of first Commissions and Half-pay,
but there appears on the part of Government so
great a disregard to what we believe to be public
opinion on that question, that we should not be
doing our duty were we to pass it over. In the
Gazette of Saturday last there are seven gentle-
men appointed to first Commissions in the Army,
viz. two to the dragoons, and five to the infantry!!
We have 1,500 Cornets and Ensigns who have
already made war their profession, and the
greater part of them have served their country
and learned their profession,, but are now
in idleness on half-pay, and would willingly,
(as they have also a prior right) have been em-
ployed. The people in England call loudly for
relief from their excessive taxation, and they ex-
pect whenever ten pounds can be saved that Mi-
nisters will not disregard even that trifle. Is it
also of so little importance to bring from inacti-
vity those whom the gratitude of their country is
pledged to remember for their services in the
hour of battle ? All these seven young gentle-
men have purchased their commissions ; and
it may perhaps be said, the, Government were
obliged to bring in new officers to pay for the
commissions. But we ought first to know what
has become of the money received for these
commissions ? We find that there is a great mis-
understanding on the subject of the money which
is paid for commissions in the army, as many
persons suppose that it is b-rought to the public
credit, and applied for public purposes, It is
not so : part of it is applied to pay those officers
who retire from the service,, who may either have I
purchased their commissions, or are allowed, by '
the favour of the Commander-iv-Chief, to sell
their commissions, although they never purchased
them. It often happens, we believe, that officers
who have been promoted by merit to a cer-
tain rank in the army during the war,—as
to that of Captain,—now find little chance of
promotion ; and some junior officer of fortune
having interest to get the step, if a vacancy occur,
an understanding takes place, and, by a mutual
application to the Commander-in-Chief, the offi-
cer retires with leave to Sell out. Thule does the
army gradually lose those whose experience is of
importance, and whose lives have been devoted to
their country. Many commissions are sold, and the
value given- by the Commander-in-Chief to such
widows or officers' families as the Commander-in-
Chief may think proper objects. We do not call in
question the fair and benevolent intention of the
Royal Duke on these occasions; but we cannot, at
'the same time, conceal from ourselves, that the
Duke is surrounded bydifferent kinds of meti,w hose
representations must, in some degree, be taken
on these tubjects ; and as they may be open to
influence like other men, we consider the power
which the Commander-ih-Chief has of thus giving
away public money, without- the fact being re-
ported re-
ported to, or sanctioned by, Parliament, a practice
which ought to be put an end to. Let us suppose,
, that all the money received for these commissions
is to be. paid to the officers retiring: at the old
prices it would amount t 9 3,500!., and it becomes