The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-30 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF Tlfl PUBLTC 30MINALM.

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An idea is still prevalent, though we conkss that
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we cannot ourselves credit tnat the ministers mean
to avoid the question of the Corn Lime, by, keeping
themselves aloof from the discussion. That they
should bc! anxious to bear the opinions of others
before they 'decide, would :be: natural: enough, if in
point of tact there were a single new idea likely to be
elicited on a subject in which every topic of remark
Las long since been apparently exhadsted. But we
would ask those who attribute such an intention to
Ministers, how it is possible for them, were they even
so inclined, to avoid taking an active and decisive part
in this discussion, when it is itself the very subject
which has caused the early assembling of Parliament ?
If Parliament be called together, as is generally sup-
posed to be the ease, so much earlier that it otherwise
would have been, for, the purni:ise of clothing the
Ministers with an indemnitylor their conduct in this
very question, we would ask any reasonable man how
it is possible, in tht nature of things, , that they can
avoid, were it only in their own defence, taking a
decided part upon the question? The truth, we sus-
poet, is, that the "Ministers themselves are divided
upon tbe question, and that their adherents, finding
this, and being therefore unable to receive the cue so
readily as if those who are to give it were of One
mind, finil it prudent to give out that they mean to
awful adopting the-subject one way or the other as a
Cabinet question. Be this. as it may, and whatever
may be the part which Ministers are ultimately coins
pelted to take upon the subject, it is quite dear that
they carry with them as little personal bias as can
well attach to any set of men ; for, from the Prime
Minister downwards, there is scarcely a soul among
them who can be said to beloy to what is strictly
called the landed interest. rile *hole of the
present Administration, with little or' no excep-
tion, may be said to be the men of yesterday, raised
to their present stations either by their own talents
or the interest and favouritism of their associates.
They may therefore be considered as at least dispas-
sionate judges of the matter, except so far as their
hopes and fears may happen to 'predominate as to the
support or resistance their general measures may be
likely to receive from the Members of both Houses,
whom their conduct may effect upon this occasion,
Their chief apprehensions must arise from the Ur:also
of Lords. It is not very likely, we
,itinigine, that the
great landowners in that;House .will tamely submit to
see themselves despoiled, of their estates, and reduced
to mere ciphers in the csiuntry, should Ministers be
inclined so far to le Al themselves to the marinfactur-
ing interest as ';,O attempt to establish a free and un-
taxed trade in foreign torn. On the other band, they
,
may not, be less anxious to conciliate those whose active
pursuits and knowledge of business give them of ne7
fsessity so powerful an influence over public opinion,
both. in and out of Parliament. And it is probably
owing, therefore, in a great measure, to this balance
between their hopes and fears that:we ow.e the report
of their intended neutrality. The thing, however, is
impossible; and even were their wishes or intentions
such as_ are thus imputed to them, they must prepare
Mr action in spite of themselves. Instead, therefore;
of considering bow they May shirk the question, and'
blink the, responsibility, they will act much inore.wisely
in employing the interval which still remains before .the
day of action, in acquiring ,;itch a knowledge of facts
and details on both sides of the question, as Inayepable
them to take with confidence that decisive tone and
kad upon the subject as becomes their station and re-
imonAibility. Nothing short of this will satisfy the
country, 11,trua ..•
nient not a, tame looker,on in a question' of vital inte-
rest to the State, but silencing the ignorant and Amid-
ing the 'wavering by a display of that Aegree- of know-
ledge which best, constitutes power.s—Morning herald.

The melancholy and helpless state of Greece at
this moment cennot fail to excite painful feelings in
every one friendly to her cause, -and the bitterness of
these feelings must be greatly increased by the mike-
flea that her calamities arise AlcA, so much from,the
power and skill of her enemies, as from the negligence
and treachery of those who claim the titles of patriots
and friends of liberty. Even Englishmen, who take
little interest in the fate of Greece, must be amide•
lined and humilieted,by the conduct of their country-
men on this occasion. ..The eyes of Europe were
fixed on the struggle. England was to provide her
livith.money, arms, aintritinition, machinery, end other'
implements of war. The management of the expedi-
tion was intrusted to some of these men who, during
the late war, took such delight in railing against any
nefortunate expedition, and seemed to think them-
seine the only persons fit to manage the affairs of the
country. Eurepe—indeed, the whole civilized world
—put faith in-their honour and zeal. How miserably
have they been disappointed; and what again has the
conduct of these men cast on,the national character I
it is adiniotel on anemia that some of them have
been actuated only by sordid motives—that others
engaged to fulfil contracts for which they were totally
unfit—that a third party were guilty of the grossest
negligence and mismanagement—and a fourth of
treachery and embezzlement. In short, all, seem to
have acted up to the wishes and views of the Grand
Seignior, as much as they could have done for a bribe
of 500,000/. With what feelings of regret and indig-
nation Must such conduct be viewed, particularly by
those nations who have taken a lively interest in the
fate of Greece, and who are naturally hostile towards
this country ! " }lere is the country," they will say,
beasts of her morality and liberty, and which
holds forth to every nation that the great objectd a her
policy tin. in
is to defend jured and oppresse . Here are
the
,chief patriots of that °nation embarking in the cause
of .Greece, and vowing to snare. neither their v
nor their services in her cause, yettlwcoiuetmortlhe'e
gaiii was their rmiv object, and
chief actors proves time
that England has been deservedly callednation,
Those Who got ful of the money into
(
shopkeepers.
their possession contrive to retain,: ,)yfeir or foul meaus,
a large proportion of it to themselves, Some hive
realised fortunes in contracts for suppliele—otimrs have
had large salaries—and those who have no salaries,
mid to whom the chief management was intrusted,
gave
- up the business to stockjobbers and swindlers, and
left the country for their own amusement at the Very
moment when their services were most wanted.l,---',_,
Such conduct certainly is disgraceful to the teach,
- and -we trust that those who have contributed. to
a disgrace 'will be allowed no rest till they give somq
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satisfactory explanation, or make atonement for !heir
errors or crimes. When Lord Cochrane, and Sir F:
Burdett, and Mr. flobhouse, and' others of the same'
SChOOl, WllO are ready to get up meetings to oppose
the plans of Miniaters, shall have returned to town,
we trust that they will take the first opportunity of
calling a General Meeting of the Greek bondholders,;.
and of adopting that course of proceeding which they°
so often recommend to Government. We trust that!
no scruples, like those of the Committee will prevent

them from giving every explanation On the subject,
even if it should be it their own expense, or that of
their most intimate friends. What treachery or villainy
of ally description may be attributed to any of the
agents we know not. One fact, however, is proved
beyond a doubt by the result of this expedition. It is
proved that those men called orators and patriots, the
friends -of the people and of liberty, are the most unfit
persons for real business. It is quite a different thing
to make a speech and plan, and execute any great un-
dertaking. The Whigs have been peculiarly unfortu-
nate in their expeditions to the East. Indeed, there
seems to be a fatality attending all th‘t. Attempts
on
Turkey. Two Yam 4Ltinpts were made against her
while they n'e in office, in 1806. A third has been
uP.,e by 'them out of office, and the result has been as
I disgraceful, though not so ruinous to the nation, as
those expeditions to Alexandria and the Dardanelles.
The Turks, it is well known, are very superstitious,
and great fatalists. Tho Grand Seignior, no doubt,
was quite at his ease when he heard that this diversion
in favour of the Greeks was chiefly conducted by that
class of politicians who had twice failed in attacks on
his country ; and we not wonder if some sug-
gestion of this sort, made perhaps by our Minister at
Constantinople, had allayed all those fears on the sub-
ject, which at one time appeared to prevail in the
Cabinet of the Grand

A, cace at the Old Bailey, tried before ,-INir. Baron
Garrow, on Friday, affords room for some remark.
ail old man of sixty, who, on- his cross-examination,
stated that he had a wife and child, had gone to an

improper place with two girls of the town, who robbed
him of 4501. It may be very proper to revive the old
Puritan Law, which punished adultery with death
(still the law in Scotland), or to subject it to a fine.
But we believe adultery is not a crime according to the
existing law. This old man, of whose conduct no
one can approve, on the conviction of the two women,
applied for the articles taken from them, and for his
expences. Mr. Baron Garrow told him that "his
conduct had been such that he would not be allowed
the articles taken from the women, nor his expences."
This appears to us very like punishing a man for what
by' law cannot be punished. If one old man of sixty
is caught in an improper place in which he is fortunate
enough to lose nothing, he cannot be punished by the
imposition of the slightest fine. Another old man loses
in such a place 4501., and the Judge tells him, that if
he had been a moral man, be would on the conviction
of the criminals, have received back his property ; but
that as he has been immoral, he shall not receive it, or
any part of it. It occurs to us that this is assuming
discretionary power with a vengeance. If the law does
not give a man the property of which he is robbed, on
the conviction of the robber, the law ought to be -al-
tered, and it ought not to be in the power of a
Judge
,either to give him or to withhold from him his
property. What a strange confusion of ideas prevails
in our Courts !----Mornmg Chropick.