The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-01 00:00:00

ter forces,`: I venture to solicit a place for a few observations,
which I hope may tend to attract the reviving attention of the
public to foreign politics, absorbed of late years almost entirely by
domestic affairs and jobbing schemes. It was firreteen by all pru-
dent and calculating urea, who were aware of the secret springs
that moved the Government Of France to the perfidious and •cruel
invasion of Spain in MS, what would be the result of our time-
serving policy. The storm has been ever since brewing. The
events in Portugal have hastened the denouement, for Tuesday
_
night last the ice was broken by the Minister, who, very con-
sistently, first informs us, in the Royal Speech, ef the amicable aa-
surrinces (not dispositions, he it remarked) of all the Powers, and
la a few hours after, that some of these amicable gentlemen re-
quired the coercive presence of a British squadron to restrain them
horn plunging us into an extended warfare. By the reliorts in
• different papers, he appears to have been successfully answered
by Sir Robert Wilson, and driven into a corner, from which
he has no logical escape, unless be should favour us by some
other and deeper revelations than he may deem it convenient to
impart at this moment. In the mean time, it may be useful to
prepare the public mind for impending events, by recalling to
mind the circumstances connected with the question now at issue.
It is useless now to revert to the full history of base in-
trigues for the invasion of Spain carried on by France. MI
that was predicted to arise from it has been, or bids f'r to be, ac-
Complished.
Mr. Canning, relying on tint assurances of M. de Villele, never
could bring himself to believe that this unprincipled and insulting
net of aggression, in reference to England, would ever be at-
tempted. M. de Villele, like other Minister', loving Ida piece
better than his notions of right and wrong, yielded to the storm
excited by the priest party and Ultras, threw off the Royal mask,
unblushingly violating every assurance that had:becn given. Mr.
Canning, duped and taken .aback, reluctantly, I believe, found
himself obliged to acquiesce, and content himself with laying in a
claim of gime or four conditions art the consideration of neutrality;
mill this impolitic, disgusting, and dithonouring compeet for the
abandonment of the national honour as well as interests was af-
firmed. After having for a century past missed no occasion of
thru,tiri-ntir heath, into every petty quarrel, we are at last, with-
out ".eptignance,-contented to pass by thin, which, in all its beara
'digs, moat deeply affects our honour and prosperity. The pacific,
or rather timid and anti-liberal party, prevailed in the Cabinet;
it held the country to be too distressed by its late efforts, and in.
disposed to renew them in any cause ; but it failed in observing,
that France, from the same and other moral causes, was not in a
condition to risk a contest with Englend for the support of the
dominion of priesteraft and absolutism, with her hostile popula-
tion to control at the. same time. Here was that sad deficiency
of statesman-like vigour and reflection, that ought at once' to
have decided oar wavering resolutions... Had the Government.
then sent the squadron which they have been compelled to main-
tain at Lisbon for the last three years, to Barcelona, and repealed
the Foreign Enlistment Bill, it would.have hearth no more of French
invasion, and have been spared its subsequent modifications
at the unespeeted success of the French enterprise, the now
necessity defence of Portugal, and the false and entangled position,
in Which it now stands. Mr. Canning, however, satisfied him
-
"U. with, some smart sallies against the Bourbone, and when sinus
1110:ner finctold that the result of • our endurance would be war
sooner or later, he emphatically and nreplietically replied, ,f Then
I nay later ;'l thereby, for the sake of an epigrammatic point.,
making an absurd choice ; for there could be no question but, and
every day confirms it, that the power and resources of France were
are rapidly advancing as those of England wereacceding. To -he
finally kicked and drove into a war (after the steed is carried off),
and after having sustained it in disguise, is certainly no very cre-
ditable result of our diplomacy, tho Ugh ,by no means an unusual
one; for. when has it happened that quitting the plain and broad
path of manly sense and duty, we have profited by the exchange?
The act of invasion was consummated, and the natural conic-
quences only have followed in the protection, physical and moral,
afforded to the desperate and fanatical party by the army and in-
thience of -France. We are not permitted to doubt that Mr. Can-
ning heft been sagacious enough to
,discover, that the presence of
'the French army, prolonged now font. years, is the real source of
all the evils that afflict Spain
.anti endanger nor security ; that he
ka Imre than once reMinded Mon& de, Villele of one of the eon-
ditionsof our neutrality; and has even, within the last year, ven-
tured to remonstrate in stronger terms, and to hint that there are
just limits to patience and forbearance.
Mons. de Villele, reduced to the • same state and to the same
expedients as in PM, professes an equal anxiety for the removal
of the French anny, and I conceive with truth. He • craves,
however, further delay, on fresh pretences (fok the happy epoch
tan never, in the nature of things, arrive,) and obtains it from
fethuleneas and timidity of cur council... Again, as before, it
'is a contest with him between his place snit his principles, for
41e-entire Jesuit clew of France are inseparably bound. up and
-connected with those cf SPain, for common objects of power and
interest ; and he must submit to their Will and plans, or quit his
station. The clergy of Spain are neusible that the continued pos-
session of their enormous revenues and political influence depend-
ton the maintenauce of absolute power, and therefore spare no in-
-lice:lie:11;3 to oht.ain. the. assistance of the •brotherhood in France is
it.. Hence the intrigues employed to subvert the con-
aiitution in Portugal, the eontagion of which is justly dreaded,
end in which there is ton much -reason to fear they will succeed,
if we continue to look on with the same apathetic indefinite post.
ponernent .of the evacuation. Are these not motives that eught to
influence Omit 'Britain -to a ditTerctit tine
.cu :conduct from that
i the to adopted? •

First', is national honour of no importance? Are those prin-
ciples en which the just balance of power and our own security
depend, and which we have ao lately defended at the expence of
40 much blood'aml treasure, to be cast soide in favour of those
who may attribute their present elevation to the overthrow of the
man wlio disputed them ? la it nothing that this nation is to be
kept in a (untitined feverish state of alarm, and to he compelled to
employ precautionary artnammus ? is it of no consequence that
Fratlce ()cronies the impregnable ports and fortreases of Spain, and
to, the whole Peninsula Nrlien she pleases, menacing, by her position,
and slisturbing by the tottig4s of the Jesuits, the, 004,104 of Ire-
land? fist it, of no inoinent that the peaceable recognition of the
free States of South Assiut ica is retarded, and that the finest por-
lion of Europe now Linguitshei in the moat hopeless state of
wretchcineas and degredation, :theiyby excluding our industry
front the extensive 'scope it would receive, on the restoration of
Spain to civilization and legitimato Govenunent?
Snub are the effects- of the armed intervention of France in the
internal affairs of Spaiu in reference to British interests
I claim nothing 'for the Sponiili people. I will admit, not only
that we are too poor, but likewise the folly of lighting the bat-
tles of other nations; hot not that, we are unable to defend our
own lionotir 'and interests against an insulting and wilful ettack
on both. The same sentimait that linnets every man to defend
his private honour, will otvkl• be (timid wanting when that of
his country is assailed. Nor will he be indisposed to make the
extremeat sacrifice for this purpose, when he rectillecta the per-
fidy and ingratitude of his adVernary. The danger is imminent,
and daily advancing nearer. Firmneas may yet atop its progress,
hut tame obsequiousness roust iufdlihly lead 113 into war or into
'total loss of character.

.Fait co dois, avienne flue pourra, should be, our device
from Able time., Our honour and our national, fatty alike de-
mand protedion and redress.

ONE OF TUE OLD SCHOOL.

Lord 'Milton is reported to have said, in the House of
ComMons,on Wednesday night, that," there was no evil
upon landed , proprietors so oppressive as that attendant
upon the conveyance of estates, arising from the ingenuity
of the, gentlemen of the laW. From What he knew on this
subject; he believed that the hunted interest suffered much
more from the affliction. of this special pleading than from
any evils likely to arikarto them from the alteration in the
Corn Laws." We agree with Lord Milton that the
landed interest are put to great vexation and expense by
the ahsttrd technicalities Of conveyaneing,-which techni-
calities, fuel the nice and ;anions points of pleading that
purpose but to embarrass the
arise alit of them, serve PO
transfer of landed property, and afford to lawyers H. lux-
uriant harvest of litigation. But to whet cause is this to
be attributed ? Lord Milton says, to the i ngenuity of
laWyers. How can that be,. seeing that they must, take
the law as they find it?. To what cause then is it owing? To
the landed proprietors themselves, whose aristocratic folly
induced them to discountenance the original and simple
triode's of conveying real property, and to pass 'Acts of Par-
liement to make the alienation of estates as difficult to
possible, that thereby great possessions might accumulate
3n partienlar families, and the grandeur of what were called
ancient names be upheld at''the'eipence of the general
interests et the 'community. -This tloti trine Of accumula-
tion Francis jßordett-advocated with great
2etil in thelateParhament, thereby nisintaining; in spite
of the pelitkatf- philosophy of wegtthingto,, thatlhe Nor-
man Lords anti :their; feudat system; which made 'tedi-
gree every thintr'and the people nothing,'Ought =to. he
preferred to .a.stitte *3l Society in which great men and:
great popertio were th tendered amenable to the laWs
of civilization.
F.
Was WhOrt a landed, aristocracy, that
acted „poi., Sir F. Burdett 's notion of fettering estates in