The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-13 00:00:00

class of silly people, among the supporters of the
Premier, who take a surplus of revenue to be the
most absolute test that can be suggested of Ministe-
rial sagacity and excellence. It is strange that on the
very fact of this annual surplus, they do not found a
determined and invincible demand for the repeal of
that obnoxious tax, the most disgraceful memorial of
Sir ROBERT'S Administration, the income-tax. But
it is still more strange that, with the Premier, they
should look idly on, and permit to be sacrificed to
such an object—to the mere personal or official inte-
rests of the Minister—all present securities, and im-
mediate preparations for the vindication of, the naval
supremacy and the natural independence and dignity
of Great Britain !

A Tory Contemporary of this morning, referring to
the present troublous aspect of affairs in Ireland, ob-
serves :—" The impression gains ground among all
parties, that the Minister will ere long be driven to
the adoption of one of two courses—either to assemble
Parliament before the agitation receives any fresh
impulse, and to demand such additional powers as the
exigencies of the times may require, for the sup-
pression—root and branch—of a conspiracy which, it
would seem that the present laws are incapable of
effecting ; or else, by a master-stroke of the concilia-
tory course of policy, such as that which distinguished
the year 1829, at once concede Mr. -.:0 e-ONNELL'S de-
mands, or an instalment of them, and trust to the
chapter of chances for the future safety of the country."
Of the two courses alluded to in the above passage,
the first is the one which—although Ministers are
likely enough to adopt it, in the event of the Repeal
agitation again presenting a formidable front—can
only be pursued at the certain risk of ignominious
failure. By what new powers of law can Govern.
ment hope to put an end to the discussion of such a
question as that of a Repeal of the Union, which is
fast taking a foremost place in the thoughts and feel.
ings of every Irishman ? They may, to be sure, con-
trive to put a veto upon monster meetings, and get
an obsequious Parliament—for their majority there
will do any thing for them—to declare it illegal for
Irishmen to assemble publicly in more than certain
specified numbers in order to agitate the dreaded
question ; but how will this avail them ? Will it stop
the popular clamour for Repeal ? Will it not rather
give it a tenfold impetus, and make those reckless
and desperate, who before were simply active and
resolute within the limits of constitutional propriety?
Undoubtedly it will. To fin the flame of national
discontent, nothing more is needed—as all experience
shows—than an indiscreet opposition on the part of
authority. Put down in one form, Repeal will
be pretty sure to start up in another. Public meet-
ings, and even public dinners on the subject may be
prohibited throughout Ireland ; but are there no other
means by which the agitation can be carried on ?
Can Ministers stifle the free and bold expression of
opinion in the Irish press ? Can they prevent gentle-
men discussing the momentous question in snug social
parties of a dozen or so, at the different reading-rooms ?
Can they prevent them talking over it with their de-
pendents—writing about it in their letters--confirm-
ing each other in their opinions upon it at their fes-
tive meetings—and, above all, issuing tracts, pam-
phlets, and addresses upon it, to be circulated gratis
—after the fashion of the Anti-Corn-law appeals—
throughout the length and breadth of the sister
country ? Can Ministers do any or all of these
things ? Impossible. Repeal is a Proteus which the
instant you grapple with it in one shape, eludes your
grasp, and starts up in another. It is a thought—a
feeling—a principle—which you can no more subject to
your will by dint of menace or coercion, than you can
enchain the free winds of Heaven, or check the en-
croaching waves of Ocean I The first, then, of the
two courses of policy which, as our Contemporary
observes, Ministers have left for their adoption, is
clearly useless, if not absolutely dangerous, as tend-
ing directly to aggravate the very evil which it is its
object to diminish. With regard to the second—
namely, the conciliatory course—of this far more san-
guine hopes may be entertained ; for instead of
being at variance with justice, it is in accord-
ance with it ; instead of being obnoxious to
common sense, it is the necessary result of
the operation of this serviceable faculty. To
put down the clamour for Repeal—or at least
to enfeeble it to. such a degree that it can
have no further hazardous influence—it is by no
means indispensable that Ministers should concede to
Ireland's demand for a Parliament in College-green.
Mr. O'Coransm. himself, for all his assertions to
the contrary, has not the slightest wish that such
a suicidal concession should ever be made—all
that is required is, that Government should
promptly and cheerfully pay that attention to the
just wants and wishes of the sister country, which,
as an integral and influential portion of the British
empire, no one denies to be her due. Let Ministers
do this, and do it in a frank, generous, fearless, and
confiding spirit, and from that auspicious moment Re-
peal will cease to be the demand of a nation, and be-
come the mere whisper of a faction.

Accounts from Madrid of the sth inst. state that
the Government had received the official confirmation
of peace being established between Spain and Mo-
rocco. " Yesterday," says the Globo, " Colonel
BARRY, belonging to the English Legation, arrived at
Madrid. He had come from Tangiers and Gibraltar,
and is the bearer of dispatches for the Spanish Go-
vernment, which, no doubt; contain the final conclu-
sion of the arrangements. Besides the satisfaction
we have mentioned, it appears that the Moorish Go-
vernment will give a pecuniary indemnity to the
family of the Vice-Consul, who has been assassinated."

The elections were going on favourably for the
Government.

The Three per Cents. were done at 27 7-16 at 60
days ; the Five per Cents. at 19 7-16 at 60 days ;
and the Floating Debt at GO at 15 days.

After the noise caused by the bombardment of Tan-
giers and Mogadore has subsided, and Marshal Bu-
GEAUD has retreated within the French frontier, cer-
tain politicians on the other side of the- Channel begin
to see that peace is as far distant as ever, and that
much money must be spent and more bombardments
take place before the Emperor of MOROCCO is brought
to reason. This is the view taken of the French po-
sition by M. THIERS' journal, and it appears to us
perfectly just. "If it were intended," says the Con.
stitutionnel, " to strike a really effective blow at the
commerce of Morocco, it was Tangiers which it was
necessary to occupy rather than Mogadore. Tangiers
keeps up with Gibraltar relations which the proximity
renders exceedingly active. On one side, Gibraltar is
the depository of all the English merchandise des-
tined for the commerce of the Mediterranean and the
coast of Africa; on the other, Tangiers is the store-
house of the provisions, without which the garrison of
Gibraltar would' be obliged to have recourse exclu-
sively to Spain. In 1841, 104' vessels destined for Mo-
rocco, or coming from it, entered or left Gibraltar. It is
easy to comprehend that the imperial custom returns
would have seriously suffered from the occupation of
Tangiers. But England is not willing, even tempo-
rarily, to interrupt her relations, for the success of
our arms. We have not, therefore, made use of our
right, and the commerce of Tangiers will soon have
resumed all its activity. Why, therefore, not have their
oa n troops in, Larache or Rabat, in place of shut-
ting them up at Mogadore, in an island in front of a
town enveloped on all sides by moving sands ? There
is only one point really vulnerable in this empire—
the town where are deposited the EMPEROR'S trea-
sures. These excite and appease insurgents, make
and unmake sultans. But these are at Mequinez, and
Lambe and Rabat are the two gates leading there
from the sea-side. Rabat and Salee, situated opposite
each other on the banks of the same river, are the
nests of all Moorish pirates. Larache, situated to the
north of these two towns, at the mouth of the Lyxos,
collects in its port all the naval force of the empire.
The EMPEROR has confided the guard of these two
keys of his , treasures to the fiercest 'lslamism.
Christians have been kept away with jealous care,
and their entry by main force into these old sanc-
tuaries of Mussulman fanaticism would have produced
a moral effect very different from the taking of the
town of Mogadore, accustomed to the rule of the infi-
dels. The EMPEROR would not have seen without
dread Christians fixed at a little distance from the
treasures which he has always been increasing, and
which consists, it is said, of considerable sums of
money, a quantity of precious jewels, and a mass of
gold and silver ingots. Under the perpetual fear of
losing the fruit of his labours, the object of his pas-
sion, -the
_monument of his reign, ABDZERI 4)41.21