The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-24 00:00:00

to Taking, 'therefore, all circumstances
into consideration, it may be questioned whether
inertness is not the quality in our 'tillers from which
we have derived the most benefit. The: 'discussion
in a certain great Assembly in the Committee on the
Test and Corporation Bill, exhibiting as it did such
rich specimens of babyism, may give pain to over-
sensitive persons, too much alive to the impression
likely to be producedabroad by it; but before we can
be brought to lament such an exhibition, we must
be satisfied that the hostility to education evinced
by so many of the speakers, is not more safely for
the country allied to babyism than to energy'. The
intelligence, energy, and prosperity of the people of
England are too deeply rooted to be affected by
their hereditary Legislators. The paralogisms and
ignorance of the latter do little harm, and furnish
amusement to others,at their expence. What could
be more amusing, indeed, than to hear Noble Lords,
who know as.much of theology as they know of the mu-
sic of the spheres, delivering with all gravity their
opinions as to the most eligible of the different
creeds current in this country, evidently impressed
with the belief that, when the world hears that
Lard'NOodle thinks favourably of the creed of this
class of Dissenters, and Lord Doodle thinks un-
favourably of the creed of -another class, a great
revolution in opinion must follow as a matter of
course ? What can be more amusing than to hear
an assembly gravely discussing for hours, what
precise form of words shall be repeated by those
whose sincerity they wish to try ! Do you hold such
or such an opinion ? No man who holds that opinion
is to be believed, therefore you must be excluded
from office. But if the holder of the opinion is
not to be believed, why do you believe his declare-
Lion ? The same insincerity which would lead . him
to violate the truth to carry any other object, would
lead him to disclaim an opinion which stood in the
way of office. Whether any man desirous of office
will scruple to repeat any declaration, we know not,
as we know not whether he who repeats declara-
tions any more than he who' subscribes to certain
articles believes them ; but this we know, that we
should like to deal with those men who decline offices
of profit, because they refuse
,to declare what they
do not believe. Su& men might afterwards be
put to the test, which 'Cicero deemed the severest,
the having a bag of untold gold confided to them in
secret. If the bag were a very large one, there are
many men, who have taken very long tests, even
Reverend Fathers in God, whom we should be
sorry to try with it. The philosopher of anti.
quity, who went about in the day time
with a lanthorn, to-discover' an honest man, has
often been the 'subject 'of remark. We shall watch
the operation 'of the Declaration System, to dis-
cover how many men nominated to offices of profit,
refuse to repeat the prescribed formula—having thus
a tolerable assurance of; their, honesty, while we can
have none of the honesty of those who take the
Declaration. All our fear is, that we may watch
long enough before we make the discovery. These
are the annals of imbecility ! but we have'observed,
there are worse things in 'the world than imbecility
,in power. The civilization of England is a hardy
plant, which can bear a great deal of hereditary le-
gislation. We have prospered, not through legisla-
tion, but in spite of it. The foundations of that
prosperity were laid in times when kingly. power
protected the people from the aristocratical influence
which they are now able to withstand. In Ireland,
unfortunately, the influence, which is comparatively
harmless here, because intelligence and energy 'are
opposed to it, operates in a truly characteristic man-
ner.-11corning Chronicle. .

pe.,irgus. as INT are of seeing the situation ofßiri-
tish India improved, we are by no means sure that
this would be effected by transferring the Goiern-
ment thereof to the Crown. The men Wheort" our
Ministers have generally selected as Governors for
our Colonies have heen.poor testimonies to the sa-
gacity of those who nominate them. We are weary
of listening to the freaks of young Lords, and wrong-
' headed aristocrats, "who show that it is more easy to
' get themselves and their masters into a scrape than-
to extricate them from it ; and we look with some
alarm to the enormous patronage which a cession of
the Indian territory would throw into the hands of
the Crown. It is likely the Crown would use it, as
it uses all other patronage, for it own purposes. If
a series of territorial conquests add to the strength
and glory of a nation, then undoubtedly the Com-
pany has a strong claim to the good opinion of Env.
lishmen. If the Company have created wealth and
prosperity, which without it would not have
found their way to our shores, then, again,
is. the Company entitled to our ; gratitude.—
,We know not what would have been done
by a Government, but this we do know,
that, whether by righteous or unrighteous means,
this Company of British traders has made itself
master of a large portion of the globe. In the
natural course of things, many changes are preparing
for India. Are there the elements of independence ?
We think not: It will be for her interest quietly
and steadily to impregnate herself with the,blessings
of English civilization ; and freedom
.(if freedom
promise increase of happiness) will be born in. due
time. While the fruit is growing it requires the sup,
port of the parent tree. It can only be separated
when ripe and ready. Let the restrictions, at all
events, be removed which deny to the Englishman a
settlement in India—let him be allowed to cultivate
and colonise the land—let him be protected from
arbitrary mandates, and be encouraged permanently
to.reside in the country. Interest the natives in the
improvement of the soil—remove from them local
oppression, and give them " hope for to-morrow."
Associate them with the business of Government—
seek rather to act upon , their sympathies than to
arouse their antipathies.. If you fill your coffers
with wealth, contributed by their labours, give them
kindness—give them confidence in return.—/tion-
ing Herald.

"There has been of late a great revival of reli-
gion at Alford, and its circuit; about 300 having within
the last three months been added to the number of the so-
ciety.—Boston Gazette.
_ _

THE TALE OF A GOOSE.—We left this
with small lean horses, and- passed a military colony, re-
specting which an anecdote is related, with regard to a
visit made to the place by the Emperor ALEXANOFR, for
the purpose of inquiring into the condition of the soldiers.
His MAJYSTY havingentered into a kitchen, observed a goose
roasting, and on visiting a second saw a similar feast pre-
paring; in short, in every kitchen he slipped into, lie in-
variably beheld a goose upon the spit, and returned per-
fectly satisfied that the colonists had plenty of excellent
cheer. -It was, however, afterwards discoVered, that he
' had been imposed upon ; for, after all, there was only a
single goose, which had beeu dexterously conveyed from
one kitchen to another, so as to be turning at the fire
whenever he entered. This was a contrivance on the part
of the Governor, to impress his MAJESTY' with a favour-
able idea of the flourishing state of this colony.—Roe's
Travels sin Russia, &c.

Loss OF A PlNNACF.—Sattrday afternoon,
north-east.left
about four o'clock, a pinnace ;vhi,i,
of wind from Itanigiegoods and •
passengers between Leith and InverpaVvith Leith
harbour during a heavy gale
Sbelad on board a crew of four men, and man and boy
pipes, a puncheon of molasses, and 4 hundreda weglit
passengers, and was loaded with about two tons of cast
metal
of cheese. Though the wind blew fresh, %%tith
on her
sea, several boats left the harbour in the course of the heavy
and the Inverkeithing boat was proceeding safely
course, until she got beyond the outer buoy, almost directly
welt of the M4rtello Tower, when she idled up a little in
the. wind. A heavy sea then struck her on the lee bow,
upon which she'partialty filled with water, and made stern
way i another sea at this moment striking her, she went
down, stern foremost. The unfortunate persons on board
clung to the masts, with the exception of one man, who
caught hold of a loose thaft or seat, which assisted to keep
him above water till he was picked up,by a boat belong-
ing to Newhaven. The five others were not so formate
for although a boat from his Majesty's' ship Harrier, as
well 'as that from Newhaven, reached the spot shortly after
the accident, they had stink to rise no more. The man
Who was saved was the only married man on board, - and
was rescued in a very exhausted state. None of the bodies
have yet been found, though boats are employed in dredg-
:mz.—Edifiburgh Wedely Chrofricle: - -