The Sun.
London, England, 1821-07-21 00:00:00

FR ENCII FUNDS.

July 17, Five per Cents.
Bank Stock 1615 f. c.

[Late from the West Indies.]

By the arrival of the brig Leopard we learn,
from Martinique and St. Bark, that piratical de-
predations still continue of these islands, and ou
the South America coast, to an alarming extent.
The French are vigilant, but the privateers elude
them. A few (lays before the Leopard sailed a
brig was taken by one of Commodore Daniel's
vessels, said to be from Vera Cruz, with 140,000
dollars on board, and a rich► cargo of dry goods,
to the amount of 100.000 dollars more.

[From the National Intelligence; June 10.]

In our Paper of the 6th inst. we stated the
grounds upon which we were induced to believe
that- the possession of the Floridas would have
been transfrrred to the United States without
delay. Since that date, however, circumstances
have transpired well calculated to excite suspi-
cions that the policy of the Spanish Government,
which so unseasonably prohibited the ratification
of the Treaty to the United States, has been
adopted by the Vocal Officers of Spain, to whom
its execution in that,respect has been confided.
The schooner 8.-tutus, arrived at Baltimore, in
seven days from Havannah, with dispatches for

our Government, relative, it is presumed, to the
cession of the Floridas. It was very sickly at

Havannah .

It is not without very-kreat reluctance That we
touch upon the subject of QUEEN, and we
earnestly hope that this,,kb, *time Nae3hall
, •
have any occasion tc\zefer to it.. The 'Public in
general will do us the justice to admit that, from
the time of Il ER MAJESTY'S return to this coun-
try till the present moment, whatever may have
been our private opinions respecting her conduct,
we have forborne to animadvert upon it with the
warmth, we may perhaps be allowed to say, the
asperity, which has marked the observations of
those Journals that have adopted the same course
of general politics which we have pursued with un-
deviating consistency from ti;e very origin of our
Paper. Wehave,upon the same principle, content-
ed ourselves,as our public duty demanded, with
inserting a mere historical account of the ex-
ternal proceedings of Thursday last, among the
reports of all that took place within the Hall
and the Abbey respecting the solemn ceremonies
which, according to the forms of our Political
Constitution, formally united the Sovereign and
the People. We cannot, however, avoid ex-

pressing our sincere regret, not to adopt any
stronger language, at the course which her
Majesty pursued on that day. She had re-
peatedly made every application necessary for
supporting what she conceived to be her just right
to participate in the awful National ceremonies,
and so far she had discharged her duty to herself
and her successors,; but, having been fully inform'
ed that by the decision of the highest, most
learned, and dignified authorities of the realm,
with the sanction of the Sovereign himself,
that her requisition could not be complied
with, she ought then to have stopped, and
to have remained at home in that quilt
acquiescence which became her station end
her sex. She had done all that was de-
manded by the one, and she would have held
forth a noble example to the other, both for
future personages in her exalted situation, if
any similar circumstances should hereafter
unfortunately arise, and for the regulation of
domestic life through all the subordinate
ranks of society. To renew her application,
therefore, in person at the very place of the na-
tional solemnity, was certainly very injudicious,
to use the mildest epithet, and was highly dan-
gerous, inasmuch as it could have no other ten-
dency than to excite tumult, confusion,and P°s
sibly the most lamentable excesses. Here we
shall close our remarks, and indulge the h°Pe
that the reception which she generally received,
and her reflection on it, will induce her IV'4..
JESTY to pause, and hereafter to resign herself
to the enjoyment of that splendid establishme►?t
which the liberality of the country affords her,
and cautiously avoid every thing which
tend to disturb its tranquillity.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL ASSOCIATION.--A true
bill was yesterday found, by the London Grand
Jury, against Sir JOHN SEWELL, CHARLES Sari
RAY, J. B. SHARPE, and LONGUEVILLE CLltgs°
Members and Agents of the Constitutional Society.
charging them with a conspiracy, in fooling an,
belonging to an unlawful Society, and Witti
c
„
committing several alleged acts of oppressit'
and extortion. We are of course onaccl"'":lntea
with the precise terms in which the bill has b9b,
prepared ; but the above, we understand, is .the
correct substance of the charge.—Upon a lea 9
question, of so much importance to the libertiler
of the subject, and to the peace and good °rube
of the State, as that which is involved in the
legality or illegality, not only of the proceedisf„
or some of the proceedings, but of the omit
er
lion, or organization, of this Society, it is Pr°Pri
that the subject should he examined in ev,eig,
point of view, taid should be temperately uis
cussed. Thus the principle on which a societfoc.
founded, and the objects ivilictrit proposes too
complish, may be laudable and undonbteet its
legal ; and yet the means employed to effede
purposes may be inconsistent with the prix( its
of its own formation, and the co./"lac' P
pres-
agents may be not only, vexatious anoA
~ whiC
sive, but in violation of those very la"s lid Pr
the society was established to stwort, eptef
which the great body of its members
tale a profound veneration. We are farh'at° the
far, from either saying or insinuating t se'
el.' P
agency of the Constitutional Society has
itself to this charge. That question is cecv.
per!), about to be decided in a Court ofajiira, our
.1
The finding of a bill by a Grand arm &We;
Readers are aware, is entirely on es, 13 not at all
meat ; and therefore the questionijot ,ve have
prejudiced by their proceeding• the constilli-
pointed out the distinction betwee;f its agerici2
lion of a society, and the conduct
and separate
because they form two distinct a
jury,
noon
f
questions for the consideration
both of which the Jury may or it map
decide that the constitution of the society 13 lad
decide of its agency,
ful, and that its agency, or a par
the on'
has been unlawful. In the former case,
exposer
not only
favourable verdict of the Jury
legal penalties . 11
the Society or its agents to
the hate(
ether. n
annihilates the Society altog 601
the existence of the So
case, the legality and
he legal penaltiei at'
remain untouched; and t decide ;.

tached to certain acts have no other effect upon
the future proceedings of the Society, than to re-
Plate them by wholesome restraints. If, on the
BPProaching trial, therefore, the Jury should
r,nerelyfind that certain Members of the Consti-
tutional Society have been guilty of certain" acts
uPpression and extortion," that verdict will
nut at all impeach the legality of the Society,
nor restrain them from employing all lawful
means for the further prosecution and accom-
Plishment of their objects. And, if the Jury
should determine by their verdict that The pre-
sent Association is an 44 unlawful society," even
that verdict will not prevent the very same
parties from immediately forming another Society,
Under the same name, if they please, of the
"Constitutional Association,"and for the very same
purpose, of prosecuting and repressing the licen-
usness of the press, and of bringing to con-
`iiction and punishment the Authors, Printers,
ltrld Publishers, of blasphemous, treasonable, or
seditious publications. For, although a particu-
lar Association, calling itself "Constitutional
330ciation," may from some peculiarity in its
,formation be pronounced to be unlawful, it by
11° means follows that another association under
the same name, but free from the unlawful pecu-
liarity, is unlawful also. The alleged illegality
is not in the name, but in the constitution
°1 the Society. Though the means em-
ployed by a particular Society for the punish-
rent of seditious, treasonable, and blasphemous
bels,may be declared unlawful by a Jury, it by
11°• means follows that the prosecution and pun-
-18h•
tnent of blasphemy, treason, and sedition, are
In themselves improper or unlawful objects, or
fort the means to be employed by other societies
these purposes are necessarily unlawful in
e?usequence of a decision against the means em-
P'°Yed by the first Society. The illegality
13 not in the objects, in the purposes, in the end
the
aim of the Society, but in the means,
sisue agency, by which the end is sought to
accomplished. We shall wait with consi-
derable anxiety for the arguments of Conn-
tel, the opinion of the Judge, and the verdict of
the Jury, upon this interesting and important
!,'SC. For our own part, we have very little
doubt that the decision as to the legality of its
constitution will be in favour of the Society. Of
the agency of the Association, the Public as yet
knowr very little ; and they must remain compa-
ratively ignorant upon this point, until the evi-
,ience em produced on the trial. "Whatever the
cison y be, we must repeat that we had
the
see the Press itself employed to neutralize
effects of its own licentiousness, than almost
any means employed for forcibly restraining it.
In a country like this, a comparatively trifling
f4ll, either granted by Government- or col-
lected by public subscription, would provide an
effectual antidote for all the poison which the
press now pours forth, and would at the same
time diffuse the inestimable blessings of sound
and useful knowledge, upon Politics, upon Mo-
rals, and upon Religion, throughout the people
rlarge. The libellers will be best put down
fair argument and enlightened discussion ; and
itthere is no reason to fear that the cause of Truth
1'24 Virtue will not come out with redoubled
ustre
and strength from the contest.

his ILit KING.-We are extremely happy to say
MAJESTY was in the enjoyment of good health
Yesterday, after the excessive fatigue which he
"derwent on Thursday at his coronation. A
Treat number of anxious inquiries were made at
Gl4_ Palace yesterday, but no :ist was taken.
ne Duke of CAMBRIDGE, the Duchess of
So L°l3cEsTErt, the Princess AUGUSTA, the Princess
1,, 1:111A, and Prince LEOPOLD, paid affectionate
!%tsto his MAJESTY. It was understood that
Prince LEOPOLD took leave of the KING previous
t° Ins going abroad. His MAJESTY gave au-
,4;',. 'Prices to Viscount SIDMOUTII and the Marquis
LONDONDERRY. The KING returned to his
tPalace in Pall-mall from the coronation banquet
etween nine and ten o'clock on Thursday night.
Al
(1,11 the Royal residences were thronged yc,ster-
vlith inquirers after their Royal Highnesses'
ettltb

ALDERMAN WOOD.—'Phis Gentleman received
it
lesson from the Populace on Thursday last
Nos A.,lch it may be hoped will not be lost upon him.
I.l'tPr the active and devoted part which he has
lif'rrhly taken in favour of TIIE QUEEN, it ap-
tiz4red to the feelings, even of II ER MAJ ESTY'S par-
thesns among the crowd, that he was acting with
aio grossest inconsistency in joining the Proces-
tb:!ti honour of the Sovereign. The moment
a,ss Alderman was visible to the crowd he was
ItNialled from all quarters with hisses, hootings,
G cries of " double-face"--" hypocrite"—
getl4l,c) THE QUEEN," and every testimony of
'11(1ti-a` indignation. At first the Alderman either
t i
dignar
now to whom this burst of popular n-
tinde r',.°ll was directed, or affecting not to
sharedi'Larld it, smiled on the crowd, as if he
~ndivid !n the resentment pointed at some other
; hut as soon as it was too oh-
t},- te mistaken, his countenance display-
ed -;`e most evident mortification, and he seem-
This wish wish that he were any where else.—
few strong manifestation of public feeling, a
Whatever
that does honour to our countrymen,
teach-ever may be their party differences, will
A him theat fleeting nature of that popularity
does not appear to be founded upon the
sisgr tency ounds of sincere conviction and firm con-
.

yesterday at three o'clocic,a Cabinet Council
!as held at the Foreign Office, which sat in de-
itheration till about five.
On Tuesday, at half past twelve o'clock, a
Committee of official Gentlemen assembled at
Liverpool House, Whitehall, to take into consi-
deration the reduction of a
number of offices.
Among those present, besides the Earl of Liver-
P°ol, were the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir
Charles Lone, Mr. Arbuthnot, Mr. II uskisson, the
ke of Wellington, the Secretary at War, &c.
In consequence of the elevation of Mr. FOSTER
'ad Mr. WELLESLEY POLE to the Peerage, va-
;ancies have occurred in the
kaputh Representation of
County and the Queen's County.

THE QUEEN.

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

LETTER TO THE ARCHBISHOP OP CANTERBURY.

Her MAJESTY communicates to his Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury, that as his Majesty the King has
thought fit to refuse her being crowned at the same time with
the King, yet the Queen must trust that there can be no ob-
jection to her Majesty's receiving that right on the following
week, whilst the Abbey still remains in a state of preparatioh
for the august ceremony without any additional expence to the
nation—that her Majesty does not wish it from any desire of
participating in the mere form and ceremony of a Co:onation,
but as a just right, which her Majesty could not abandon with-
out doing a manifest injury, not only to herself, but to future
Queens Consort, to the British nation, and to posterity.
Brandenburgh House, July 15, 1821.