The Sun.
London, England, 1828-01-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Into what a state are the affairs of this country
fallen ! The omiaous Council—if so it may be
called—of irresponsible Ministers, by whom the
Parliament of the United Kingdom when legally.
summoned to meet for the despatch of business, was
suddenly prorogued, was actually held in the King's
bed-room, his Majesty in bed all the while, and lin-
able to move, from an access of gout. The assembled
Co,i.incil had not even the precaution to take the al-
-inanack in their hands, and now they are over-
whelmed with confusion, and know not what to do.
They have summoned the Parliament to meet on
Tuesday the 29th instant, the day of the King's ac-

cession—an universal festival throughout the king-
dom ; and for which, so far from being dedicated to
secular concerns, there is a form of prayer in Liturgy.
Wednesday, the following day, is the anniversary of
King Charles's martyrdom; and Thursday, the next
succeeding day, is the anniversary of the King's
proclamation—a holyday also ! So that, in reality,
the Parliament cannot meet till Friday—Friday, a
day ominous in the annals of superstition. And this
is the slovenly manner in which the concerns of this
great empire are now administered! The King, we
have said (and we are sorry to say it), was only pre-
sent in the Council in bed. Sir Henry Raiford at-
tends his Majesty to-day, and has, we are assured,
suspended his visit from the fear of creating
alarm; and all this confusion, we assert, has
sprung from the unexpected obtrusion of Mr. Her-
ries upon the settled councils of Government, and
his prompted opposition to arrangements in which
he had previously acquiesced. We do not wholly
coincide in opinion with those who suppose that this
person and Mr. Hart---(he knows whom we
mean),—and those whom we have mentioned be-
fore, have of themselves been able to destroy tile
late Ministry, and involve the whole nation in con-
fusion; but what must be thought of the principals
who could employ and mingle up themselves, and
make common cause, with such agents ? The Mi-
nisters—whom we are still obliged to call the pre-
sent Ministry, though excluded by the base in-
trigues above stigmatised—must give up their seals
of office before any new ones are appointed : and
upon these new appointments we In-: jt still repeat
our belief that nothing is even yet reified. It is
astonishing with what eagerness .ne Tories are
spreading the incredible story that Mr. Huskisson is
in treaty to join that party, to '!lose insults and
persecutions of his friend, Mr. Canning,. he has al-
ways appeared so keenly alive. The inventors of
this slander pretend that he is ready to give up
those colleagues who have been fast defenders of his
friend's memory, and of his own pretensions, and
who have stood by him in the recent quarrel, which,
be it observed, was his, not theirs. What makes
the rumour still more incredible is, the condition of
this alleged treaty—viz., that Mr. Huskisson not
only concedes the Premiership to the Duke of Wel-
lington, but allows Mr. Peel to be the leader in the
House of Commons, and Mr. Dawson to be Secre-
tary for the Home Department, which includes the
Government of Ireland. Without refuting or con-
tradicting this slander, which was yesterday propa-
gated with extraordinary activity, it is enough to say
that the manly character of Mr. Huskisson makes
the tale incredible and impossible. The Duke of
Devonshire came to town late on Wednesday night.

We understand that the language now held by
the Tories, on the subject of the Committee of
Finance to be appointed this Session, is, " that they
have no objection to a committee being formed, pro-
vided any other person except Lord Althorp be no-
minated as the Chairman." They are in hopes, by
this appearance of honesty, to persuade, or rather
humbug. (for that is the only word which fully ex-
plains their real intentions and Wishes) the people
of England into an idea that they arc not averse to
mquiry, that they are prepared—nay, more disposed
—to meet it, and carry into effect any recommenda-
tions of economy and retrenchment. svhich may be
suggested after such an examination. The secret
history of the formation of such a committee as the
Tories are willing to grant, has been invariably
this :—The Minister fixes upon some thirty of his
stanchest thick-and-thin supporters, on 'whom he
can fully depend for the execution of his dirty work ;
then, to save appearances, this is larded with a few
of those honourable names,—those landmarks to
which the country looks proudly up,—such as Lord
Althorp, Lord Tavistock, Lord Milton, and other
respectable and independent County Members.
From this assemblage a committee is drawn, io
which the influence of the Minister must ne-
cessarily preponderate from numerical force. The
mock inquiry then sets to work ; every conti-
nuance of unnecessary place, job, pension, or
patronage, is stoutly supported ; whilst every reso-
lution, of economy is negatived, and every line of
examination which tends to prove the paramount
necessity of retrenchment and reduction, clamoured
down and overwhelmed by the extinguishing majo-
rity. The few upright members of the committee
at length become disheartened by repeated failures
in their honest attempt, and convinced of the fruit-
lessness of their labours; the report is then prepa-
red, seasoned and dished up to the liking of the Mi-
nister; it is presented and accepted, and thus the
system of wanton extravagance is perpetuated,—
thus the hopes of the honest are defeated,—thus the
petitions and rights of the people are despised and
trampled upon. "We have now only to add, that the
character of the committee will most essentially de-
pend on that of the pErson who is appointed to be
its chairman; it is he 'who directs their enquiries
and gives tone to the whole proceeding. To this,
therefore, alone, must the people now look, for they
may be well assured, that as Lord AlthOrp is con-
fessedly the fittest person for such a situation, to in-
sure its really coming up to what they have alight
to expect under the very critical state of the public
revenue and expenditure, any attempt to resist his
nomination, or to substitute another chairman to be
selected by the Tories, is in fact to deny the com-
mittee, and stifle the proposed and most necessary '
inquiry altogether.— ibid.

Various subjects of general interest were yester-
day discussed at the Coact of Common Council. A
petition was presented by Mr. Harmer from Mr.
Jones, complaining of abuses connected with the
office of Secondary. Mr. Alderman Waldman hit
the nail on the head in what he said respecting the
Corporation. " They had Standing Orders (he
said) that no Member should accept any place, or
have any contract connected with the City, and
there could not one farthing of money be voted
without the sanction of, that Court. If there was
any corruption, it arose from there being too many
good things to give away; and it was not in human
nature that Gentlemen should not think of serving
their friends. He should rejoice if they had no-
thing to give away. It was perhaps better to sell
offices than give them away; for the giving would
always go by favour, and gentlemen would provide
for their friends." Magistrates are pot allowed to
have
any property in the public-houses they license,
nor are the brewers or distillers allowed to be in the
Commission ; but we know, nevertheless, that there
is all admirable underistanding between Magistrates,
brewers, and distillers, and that the public are
heavily taxed in consequence of the mono-
poly created through this understanding. What
is given to a man's friend is given to him-
self; for friendship in England, where- it dis-
plays itself in overt-acts, which can be measured
in pounds, shillings, and pence, is quite an affair of
the ledger. " 71C donne rien pour rifn
meanswhich in English, that if the Squire sends
game to his fishmonger, the fishmonger must make a
present of fish to the Squire. As the City of Lon-
don is deeply in debt, and as this debt allOrds a pre-
text for the imposition of a number of taxes, severely
felt by the poor, both in London and the neighbour-
hood (as the duty on coals, for instance),• the pro-
ceeds of the sale of offices—of which the fees arc
regulated by law—would go so far towards the ex-
tinction of a debt, the effects of which are so much
felt by those least able to bear them. What is
given to friends, is a credit on them for the value of

the office so given ; and it is .better that the public
should have the advantage of the excess of the'-
come beyond the value of the services, than inch-
' vidual Corporations. What Mr. Taylor said, how-
ever, should be constantly borne in mind, namely,
. that the office " should neither be sold nor given,
but under such conditions that the Court should al-
ways be able to controul it." The next subject
which occupied the Court, was that of the City
prosecutions of blasphemy. Almost all those who
spoke condemned the policy of the prosecutions.
That " there was no mode of disseminating any
doctrines so efficacious as prosecuting them,"
was observed by Mr. Stephens, and the senti-
ment was repeated by most of the members. There
seemed, too, to be a general feeling, that even
al-
mitting the propriety of interfering to the extent of
breaking up the congregation, the conduct of the
Corporation did not deserve the name of prosecu-
tion so much so as that, of persecution. So said
Sir Peter Laurie, for instance, who had agreed with
the Lord Mayor as to the propriety of the original
prosecution. Mr. Alderman Atkins attempted a sort
of defence of his proceedings, which was very unfa-
vourably received; the other gentleman implicated,
Mi. Alderman Brown, the late pure Lord Mayor,
had the grace to keep out of the way. We were
glad to perceive that right feelings on the subject of
prosecutions for opinion are so general in the Court
of Common Council. Mr. Richard Taylor's speech
was able and judicious. He reprobated, too, the
misapplication of the City Funds to such absurd
purposes as prosecutions for blasphemy. Certainly
much will not be gained by the sale of offices, if the
proceeds of such sales are expended in prosecutions
of blasphemy, that is, expended in diffusing irreligion;
it being admitted, that the tendency of prosecutions
of blasphemy is to increase infidelity. We can-
not say we understand very well the drift of
Mr. Waithman's speech. He admitted, that the
effect of prosecuting infidel publications . was to
give an unfair advantage to infidelity ; and
though he disapproved of the Court of Com-
mon Council interfering with the Court of
Aldermen, he thought they ought to request the
Court of Aldermen not to proceed further in the
prosecutions. Yet, when Mi. Stephens moved,
that " this Court disapproved of all interference in

matters of conscience, as contrary to the principles
of civil and religious liberty, and that the course
pursued by the Court of Aldermen is entirely un-
sanctioned by this Court," Mr. Alderman Waithman
said, " although he had no hesitation in expressing
his abhorrence of religious persecution, he could not
but distinguish between attempts to argue against
Christianity, and efforts to vituperate it." We
should be sorry to think that Mr. Alderman Waitk-

• , ,
man could not aistinguisn between attempts to argue
against Christianity, and efforts to vituperate it;
because we do not wish to pay so poor a compli,
merit to the Alderman, as to suppose that he cannot
distinguish between reasoning and vituperation.
But as all men are not so gifted as the 'Worthy
Alderman, and have not the same power of sepa-
rating argument from vituperation, he ought, in gra-
titude to God, who has been so bountiful to him, to
be a little more indulgent to his less favoured
brethren. It is a very common failing to exceed
the bounds of fair argument, by mixing up a little
vituperation with logical deductions. 'Whatever
interests mankind brings their passions into play, and
accordingly we seldom find men who differ from each
other in politics, religion, or medicine,, preserving in
their debates that equanimity which the Worthy
Alderman so rigorously insists on. 'We ought to
make some allowance for the weaknesses of human
nature, and bear in mind that men are not angels.
Mr. Alderman Waithraan is too good a:relltsimer to
suppose that if men cannot by possibility be brought
to abstain from vituperation in political or medical
discussions, they can exhibit this perfection in reli-
gion. Why should perfection be exacted of all those
who treat of religion more than of those who
meddle with other subjects? Does not the worthy Al-
derman perceive, that this is a poor pitiful pretext
for persecution, which he is advocating; that those
who wish to persecute will always be displeased with
the mode of expression which they wish to put down.
Where are we to stop, if we make vituperation in
reasoning a crime ? In the very last number of the
Quarterly Review, for instance, in an article a ttri •

b►ited to 3fr. Southey, the religion of the people of
Scotland, of a million of people in Ireland, and of a
large body in England,—the religion of 311.. Alder-
man Brown and Sir' Peter Laurie, is described as
having a tendency to produce rebellion. " James

(says the Reviewer) committed a grievous error,
when he gave his sanction to the Calvinists at Dort.;
and grievously his family were punished for it in the
result of those schemes wherein that fatal connection
engaged the Elector Palatine, and in the lessons
which were imported into England from the School
of Francken ln England Calvinism

took its natural course, and schism and rebellion, its
twin otGsp► ing, went lovingly hand in hand." But
would Mr. Aldermen► Waithman have Mr. Southev
prosecuted because he abuses the Calvinists
Morning Chronicle.

With respect to the official gentlemen called upe►
to withdraw from their attendance on Lord Godc.
rich, and attend upon the Duke of Wellington o►
Wednesday, it was yesterday explained to be

consequence of the Duke of Wellington being the
only individual in authority from the King, till the

ew Administration is formed, and sworn into office,
but, in point of fact, they are to attend Mr. Peel,
wider the direction of the Duke of Wellington. We
have heard from several sources yesterday, that Mr.
Peel is to be First Lord of the Treasury, and that
he had been heard to declare, unreservedly, that
when he retired from the office of Secretary of State
for the Home Department, he would not accept of
office again, except it was to be Prime Minister.—
The indisposition with which the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman was afflicted, his taking a warm bath, &c.
was correct; but the medical gentleman did not re-
strict him from leaving his house, provided he was
well wrapped up, his indisposition being occasioned
by travelling in an open carriage in wet weather.—
He was much better yesterday, and went out
in his carriage, to the residence of Mr. Huskisson,
in Somerset-place, where he remained for several
hours. Mr. Huskisson is confined to his house by
indisposition, which was the reason of the Duke of
Wellington, the Lord Chancellor, Mr. Peel, and
several others, assembling on Wednesday evening
at Mr. Huskisson's house. Lord Goderich was of
this party. Mr. Peel had a select party to dinner
last night. Among the company were the Lord
Chancellor, Earl Bathurst, Mr. Goulburn, &c.
Among those sent for by express by the Duke of
Wellington, to attend the consultations, was the
Earl of Aberdeen, from the Priory at Stanmore.
The Duke of Devonshire received a communication
from the King on Wednesday evening, from an Offi-
cer of State. The Earl Dudley received a commu-
nication from the King on Wednesday evening,
from a confidential gentleman attached to his Ma-
jesty.—Morning Herald.
In holding, as we are desirous of doing, an even
hand between the different parties which occupy the
political arena, our diffiulties, as well as their own,
are not a little enhanced by the singular inconsis-
tencies in which those who profess to speak from
authority are for ever involving their patrons. What,
for instance, can be more perplexing than to be told,
on one day, that the late Administration has been
broken up by the disunion of two of its members,
Mr. Hermes and Mr, Huskisson ; and, on the next,
that they are the only persons, besides the Lord
Chancellor, who are likely to be Members of the
new Cabinet ? The very idea, upon the face of it,
shows that those who profess to know the most
about the matter know very little, if anything; and
that in looking to what is called the Ministerial part
of the Press for authmity, the public is deceived.
—But, the less the public are perthitted to
know from what arc considered demi-official
sources, the more anxiously must they look to
the meeting of Parliament, when, in spite of all
reluctance, the truth must come out. gad the
Whig part of the late Ministry been true .to