The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-02 00:00:00

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:27
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No. 16,049. LONDON, FRIDAYJ 27, N N •
UN7 FEBRUARY 2, 1844.

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tions existing with the King of the French, that wee wit'
continue uuinterrupted. Parliament is informed that a copy of the
Chinese treaty will bo laid before them. If along with it was laid a copy
of the instructions under whiCh this treaty was negotiated, Parlia-
ment might be enabled to appreciate the degree of credit that is due
-to the Government of Sir Robert Peel. It Is remarkable-that this
treaty, which would never have been concluded if the Tories had had
;oil; cr
pated trout tha.leilresoicainlrie,bta; treaty 31-
;e3-. and
cdocm,;lni
meagre itUon of athie_eiricciogi; t
1;i; of which
i,7cat question of the corn-laws, like the bust of Brutus,
Ministers can congratulate the country.. The reference in the speech
to every mind only the more•vivitily by its aliseik." The-oth-erirelft
question, as to the policy to be pursued towards Ireland; is at-hint-1Y
evaded by touching successively the State trials and the Land Cern-
mission. One important intimation, indeed, there is, respecting
the registration of voters; .but, with this exception, the,
=Oyes of this speeds arc as poor a collection as ever were mustered
by a Minister at the commence-motif of a session.
isecsibeeluittz.ge'sTateln‘die-
ADVERTISEII.--Two linitses, which may be considered rivals to
each other, satiasinight. The one sitthig teokpLace in St. Stephen's,
the other hi Cniqnt-gardeil. There was a marked contrast ia the
proceedings of the- two .asseniblie.s.. In the Commons, so far as the
Ministerial side .was concerned, ail-was vague and unmeaning, until.
Sir Itohorp Bea was •foreed to speak out ;in Covent-gal den all was
bold, dee.lo4r4ellitite. In the speeches of tile Queen and the mein- -
hers of herflovernment, no one could discern a scintillation of mean-
ing; in the speeches of the gentlemen, who addressed the rival'
tionae; everything wait so plain that-there was no possibility of mis-
conceiving a single sentence. The contrast was equally striking In
another respect. The objects of the two houses were wholly diffe-
rent. The Commons, as the body is-at present constituted, seek to
uphold all monopolies, anti especially the monster monopoiy„in corn;
the object Sir which the meeting at Covent-garden took place was to
abolish all monopolies, and especially the colossal monopoly In bread.
Which of the two assemblies will triumph ? No one who was 11l

Covent-garden - Theatre last night could hau•e a moment's doubt on
the subject. •

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR
IRELAND.

It would appear that the Attorney-General—or, to speak
safely, the gentleman who was Attorney-General for Ire-
land three days ago—is determined that the world shall not forget
the unseemly want of tamper which characterised his earlier pro.
ceedings in the great repeal case. Matters werleginning to go
on a little more smoothly. Those who were anxious for the
cause of justice, and for the integrity of the British empire, were
just congratulating themselves that Mr. Smith was really doing his
work like a gentleman and a lawyer, whets, 10 1 the thunder.clap
of yesterday comes down upon us. Under the very nose of full.
bottomed justice herself—in the very atmosphere of law and equity
—with Judges above—attornies below— Queen's Counsel atrouthi
—his brief before—his junior behind him—the Queen's Attinti
ney-General, wig, silk-gown, and all, electrifies the embodies Jos..
tice of Ireland by insisting on the satisfaction of shooting at Oa
counsel for the traversers. Our ultra-Ministerial Contemporarlei
seem to think this rather fine, and in the tone of a well.
r dressed young gentleman who puts his back to the tire, pull%
up his collar, and "confesses" to some sixteen cardinal virtues,.
inform us that Mr. Smith acted, perhaps, immorally, certainly
illegally, but at any rate, they do flatter themselves, like a gentle.-
rnan. For ourselves, in this ludicrous and disgraceful affair W
find It difficult to say whether the scandal or the absurdity preda
minates. Can this "gentleman," we are tempted to ask, know
,wbat be is, where be is, what he professes, what he is paid for,
what is the weight of the obligation which rests on his shoulders—.
that he dares to postpone the interests of his country, which has
employed him, the character of his party, the success of his cause,
to the satisfaction of avenging a trumpery insult offered him by a
still more trumpery opponent ? Here is the great demagogue of
the day on his trial—the cause of civil Government itself at stake,
as one party says—" a nation dragged to the bar of the Queen's
Bench," as the other ejaculates—Europe looking on to see
what happens—the majesty of the law in ezlremis twelve
honest jurymen all gaping attention to the engrossing
argument when the Attorney-General— the advocate of law,
and order, and government—diverts the course of proceedings by
"an appeal to the Court of twelve paces," by challenging Mr.
Fitzgibbon. Derogatory words had been spoken of the three
Crown Counsel, which the Attorney. General (on the principle, we
suppose, of "scniores priores'') thought it decorcus to " take up."
The Attorney-General, " with an unusually stern expression of
countenance" discharged at Mr. Fitzgibbon a three-siornered note.
Mr. Fitzgibhon, three-cornered note in hand, elbowed his way
across the Court, thumped, stamped, vibrated, shook his wig, and,
taking nothing by his move but a severe " Nothing could justify
you, Sir!" sat down in wrath unappeased and una, peas-
able. But then enter the Dis majorum gentium—the
Judges of the Court; Mr. Fitzgibbon throws himself
upon their protection, and so tells the Attorney-
General that he is not the man to be bullied into
an apology. Mr. Moore, with a feeling which does him credit,
beseeches the belligerents not to be in a hurry. The Court re.
monstrates—the Attorney-General withdraws—Mr. Fitzgibbon ex.
pFliatizngsi. Mr.b
b cMo rt
the right. The Attorney-General is content, and Mr. Fitzgibbon
.releskteehpse
schoonutlidausaalylythientwilrinogngththeintgaialss
wofellMasr.
proceeds in his address to the jury. And this is an Irish trial!
This is the way in which an Irish Attorney. General vindicates the
law ! Above all, this is the anode iu which an Irish Court enter -
ta:ns such a specimen of truly Irish legal argument I The Court
was perfectly " satisfied, and hoped there would be no more about
it"—only anxious, as it would seem, not to interfere unduly with
the excited feelings of the " jontlemen :"
_.

" We are reluctant to give an intimation of the strong opinion
we entertain as to the impropriety of what has taken place in Court,
willing to make allowance for those heated feelings which, when
called forth, frequently carry gentlemen beyond the limits which
their Cooler judgments would forbid them to pass."
We, for our parts, entertain no such overwhelming reluctance .
Mr. Smith may be—it appears to be on all hands admitted that he
is—a gentleman—a man of honour—a sound lawyer. But, reluc.
tant or not reluctant, we feel bound to say, that a person so wholly
unable to command his temper, that in the very crisis of a trial.
and such a trial, he cannot help giving his and his employer's
enemy the triumph of such an expos& as we have recorded, is
plainly un fitted, for the responsible and difficult situation in which he
finds himself. Even if such a strange escapade is of a nature to find
favour with the Irish people, as it seems to have found mercy from
the Court, it still remains a degradation to a court of justice—an
immoral, illegal, uncivilised exhibition with which no people ought
to be indulged.

" Cassio, I love thee well ;
But never more be officer of mine."
Mr. Smith remains, no doubt, an excellent advocate in a real
action or an ordinary prosecution for burglary; but preserve the
public from such an Attorney-Geneial. Our notice of this wild
affair would be imperfect without &short reference to the sequel,
as it appears in to-day's paper. The solemn pacification which
took effect—as of record, we suppose—under the high sanction of
the Court, is not enough for Mr. Fitzgibbon. " I am," he is
good enough to inform sham, "an ardent man in a high degree—
too much so, I must confess, but I cannot help it any snore than I
can help sleeping (I);" and so, with characteristic impetuosity, he
hastens to repeat his regrets. Mr. Fitzgibbon laments—deplores.
Mr. Fitzgibbon "cannot say he is satisfied with what took place
yesterday." Mr. Fitzgibbon "is not satisfied, bemuse
he thinks that justice was not done to the Attorney.
General as a lawyer and as a gentleman. Ilow con-
siderate of Mr. Fitzgibbon ! " lie placed himself," adds
Mr. Fitzgibbon, "in a moment of irritation, in a false position,
which did not or ought not to belong to him." "lam in 3 sails.
tied, because I felt, and still feel, that what I said pressed upon a
temper which cannot be helped by the Attorney-General no me re
than the air he breathes." Charity itself I—forgiving, candid,
generous, enduring charity! But it reminds us a little of a well.
known Joe Miller. " Ma'am," said a countrywoman of ours to
a sharp Frenchwoman, " I hear you go about saying I'm a fool 7"
" Oh, que non, Madame !" was the apologetic reply, " I never,
never say thing so impoli.- I hare often heerd it say." Mr. Fitz.
gibbon's balm has much the same healing quality as that furnished
by the Frenchwoman. It is very good of him—extremely so—to
apologise; but it might have been thought to show better taste if,
he had done so for himself Moue, and not for the Attorney-Gene.
ral. We certainly do not envy Mr. Smith his " false position,"
from which tis unaided efferts will not soon extricate him. We
have only to hope, for his own sake, that he has learnt to write
no more three-cornered notes; for ours, that he will not have oc.
casion to do so in the service of the public.— Tinzes.