The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

fully in a noble cause : well-grounded hopes of vic-
tory will cheer them on to further exertions, and the
day, we trust, is not far distant when the landowner
and his best customer, the manufacturer, will view
this great question in the same light, and settle it by
an amicable arrangement.

The Dutch mail, which arrived this morning,
brings us the Speech of the King of the NETHER-
'Arms on opening the States-General at the Hague,
on the 21st of October. The general state of the
country is represented to be flourishing, the only ex-
ception being the West Indian Colonies. After al-
luding to the saving effected by the reduction of the
interest on the National Debt, and by the Convention
with Belgium, the speech announces an intention to
make certain alterations in the tariff in the
following words :-" The tariff of import, export,
and transit duties, already provisionally communi-
cated to you, will now become a subject of your de-
liberation. Holland will nut confine itself to bare
words, when the successive improvements of our com-
mercial legislation shall have to be considered." This,
and the announcement of the necessity of a reform
in the monetary system, are by far the most impor-
tant portions of the speech, which will be found at
length in another column.

The following telegraphic dispatch from Madrid
was received on Tuesday by the French Govern-

ment :
" MADRID, OCT. 18.—The Bill relative to the re-
form of the Constitution has been this morning pre-
sented to the Congresi.
" The Ministry have, at the same time, demanded
of the Senate permission to decree some organic laws."
These two measures—the reform of the Constitu-
tion, and new organic laws—excite great interest.
Every friend of liberty believes there is a deep-laid
scheme not to reform, but to overturn the Constitu-
tion. The result will soon be seen, as the " Reform
Bill " was the first to be discussed by the Cortes. In
the Senate scarcely any business had been transacted.
The following is the speech of the President, MOS..
CORO DE ALTAMIRA, on his taking the chair:—
" Senators,—Upon occupying for the fifth time this
eminent post, it is a pleasure to me to reflect that I owe
this honour to the kindness of her Majesty. 111 y posi-
tion as President will recal without ceasing to my recol-
lection the imperious duty imposed upon me to protect
the rights and liberties of each senator in this meeting,
by faithfully observing the regulations of the assembly.
The prudence and wisdom of the Senate will probably
render my task a light one. I trust that without re-
nouncing his independence of opinion, each senator will
know how to reconcile it with his elevated position and
dignity., Such a line of conduct is the only means of in-
suring this illustrious body the consideration and respect
that are due to it."

The inquiry respecting the sinking of the Reyo
appears to exonerate the English officers from blame,
as the Spanish vessel was proved to have been within
the limits of British wate.r.

Madrid Bourse of the 16th.—Three per Cents.,26i
for Account; Five per Cents., 20t for Account;
Floating Debt, 62} for Account.

The trial of the Duke DB MONTMORENCY for the
distribution of seditious medals took place on Mon-
day before the Paris Court of Assize. The Duke (or
Prince DE RODECQ) was defended by M. BERRYER,
and was accompanied to Court by the Duke of
FITZJAMES, the Marquis DE LA ROCHE JAQUELIN,
and several other distinguished members of the Legi-
timatist party. It is needless to give any details of this
trumpery trial. M. BERRYEtt asserted that there
was nothing political in the affair, and the jury coin-
cided in his view, for, after consulting only five
minutes, they returned a verdict of "Not guilty."
The Prince was loudly cheered when he left the
Court. The speech of the Prince is the only inte-
resting part of the proceedings, and does honour to
the ancient and noble House of MONTMORENCY :
" Gentlemen," said he, " the charges which have just
been brought against me by the Avocat-General will
certainly not be deemed by you of a nature to justify
the abuse which the Government have made of the
law. What is the question submitted to you? My
devotedness to the Prince to whom (and I do not
wish to conceal it) I have sworn fidelity inviolate—
some busts made in the court-yard of my house
since 1840—busts which have been exhibited to every
body, in a house open at all hours—and a sale that
never had the secresy just ascribed to it. Did
this require that my dwelling should be visited by
the police, that my locks should be picked or
broken open, that my seals should be torn up, that
my family papers should be read, and that a
parcel of documents,' which was to be opened but
after my death, should be carried away, in order to
get at these busts ?I do not think so. If I bad been
applied to, Y should have -at once avowed
all I had done. These searches have been
but a pretext. What makes me suppose it is
that, at the same mome-ot similar searches were made
at the dwelling of a Liettenant-General who broke
his sword in 1830, and, also, at the dwelling of a
brave officer, who hes since appeared before a jury
and been acquitted. That gentiOman's only offence
was, that he had been a member of Q charitable asso-
ciation, whose objects he had admiro.bly promoted.
This work of charity has been impugned, and it is
not the first time such an attempt has been ,made, for
they have expressed a determination to crush `t. I
take this opportunity of appealing to the generous
and humane feelings of such as may be disposed to
promote this charitable association which lam doing
my best to promote. I hope that our defence will
emerge victorious from this severe trial. Already
have the jury duly disposed of an accusation which,
as I have already observed, was but a mere pretext.
What is aimed at and expected is, that you will strike
at convictions which all honourable men respect—
faith in adversity—attachment to glorious past times.
They wish to attain all—to venture everything—to
defy public opinion—and to drive us to a despotism
the more dangerous as they will cover it with the
mantle of legality. , For us, they may persecute and
brand us, but they never shall accomplish their
object."
We really thought the Opposition journals had
done with the royal visit, but as they have not yet
found another hobby they will probably ride this one
to death. The National, so bent on war, of course, is
highly indignant at the KING for presuming to say,
before the Knights of England, at the investiture of
the Garter, " I swear to abstain from unjust wars."
This honest men consider a very honourable and hu-
mane vow. Not so this rabid journal, who thus
attacks his MAJESTY, while professing to attack M.
GuiZOT

" M. Guizot assisted officially, in his quality of Mi-
nister, at the investiture. We have the right to make
him account for the imprudent words spoken on that
occasion. At the moment the Chancellor read the
words, 6 I swear never to make an urkfust or unfair war
against the Sovereign of the Order,' the King interrupted
him by exclaiming, more than once, with the greatest
energy, Never, never. 1 never will.'
".As Louis Philippe is not at an age when men are
carried away-by* their feelings, all that he said was no
doubt arranged beforehand with M. Guizot, and we can
no more render the King accountable for these words,
and of -the warmth with which they were spoken, than
we can attribute to him alone the discourse pronounced
by him from the throne on the opening. of the session.
Terefore, we say, the Minister of Foreign. Affairs has
thought proper, before the British aristocracy, to allow
the Constitutional King to take a solemn engagement
never to make war against the Sovereign of the order of

the Garter.
"'ln order to give another meaning than that of a vain
etiquette to this pompous comedy, it was necessary for
Louii Philippe to interrupt the Chancellor by a new
protestation in favour of peace, which would give to his
oath an entirely political character. This, truly, was
wanting to crown the visit, and we hope the Debats
will to-morrow recommence its lyrical strophes on
this forgotten circumstance. Is it not a wondrous

spectacleeceremonyof the FrenchinTeriuptlnga
re- I
thea the King
midleages by declaring that he takes
mtoof se
c
as serious the engagement not to make war
against
the Queen of England ? Never ! no, never !It is
the Sovereign of the Order of the Garter who re-
mains naturally the judge. who is to decide whether
a war is unjust or impious. The new Knight is
not to acknowledge any rule but his oath, and it
is stated that, in order that he may conform to it to the
letter, Louis Philippe demanded an authentic copy.
It seems to us, however, that, in replying to the munici-
palities of Portsmouth' and London, M. Guizot had
sufficiently testified his zealous desire for peace, in
all times and in all parts—it seems to us that the demon-
strations of the entente cordiale bad been already quite
ample enough, and that it was quite useless to renew
them by taking an oath. We will not attach to these
impressions more importance than they deserve. Events
are stronger than the wills of men, and the Garter is
not a talisman that. can arrest the current of facts, of
interests, and ideas. But what a pitiable part has the
Ministry imposed upon the Monarch l Not to hear
peace mentioned without raising his' eyes to heaven,
laying his hand. upon his heart, and bursting into trans-
pyrts of love. and enthusiasm I We shall say no more.
is this prudent policy,
wheu we may have to-morrow to
defend the • rights and honour of our cOuntry— • even
dignified? Last year, the King of Prussia wanis it
admitted