The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-26 00:00:00

[BRITISH ritzsg.3

The Offitial accounts of the siege of Bhurtpore, up
to the 30th DeCeinber, will be found in Another part
of our Paper of to-day, as well as the most recent in-
telligence which has been received from Ava and Ba-
tavia. Some of -the political speculators iii India
seemed, at the date of our intelligence, to be disposed
to think that the reduction of Bhurtpore would be at-
tended with coniiderable qilEculty ; while others con-
cluded•thatiit had &lien into our hands before-the date
of our latest accounts from Calcutta and Madras. For
our parts, we are . inclined rather to coincide in opi-
nion with the lattir than with the former ; but as .a re-
gular siege appears to be contemplated, we scarcely
think success could be attained quite so speedily as the
more sanguine anticipations of some might lead them
to imagine. The, accounts from •the army in Ava
serve rather to fill up the deficiences in our former in-
Aelligence, than to furnish us with any thin& more
recent. The. treaty was not ratified by the King of
Ava, at the date of our last accounts ; and we are
sorry to perceive that the sickness in the Arracan
army was still. considerable. Au extract which we
have given from a private letter, serves in some inea-
sure to complete the account of the operations.Of the
army under Sir A. Campbell, after the date of the
official accounts last received from him. We' have
received a variety of other particulars of events .ante,;'
rior to the defeat of the Burmese on the sth Decon-,-
ber ; but as the principal facts have already been laid
before. the public, we abstain from repeatini than,
notwithstanding the novelty which several ad itional
circumstances might give to our accounts. We- are
sorry to observe that the intelligence which had been.
received at Calcutta of the death of the criterprizing
traveller, Moorcroft, has been officially. confirmed,
The narrative of his travels to Pokfiara, and other
parts of Independent Tartarv, as they have been pub-.
lished in the India Gazette, make us acquainted with
a variety of important particulars respecting that al-
most unknown re ion. 'The accounts from Batavia
coincide in some degree with those recently published
by an Evening Paper; but we fear the most important
part of the intelligence in the Journal alluded to, that
a•peace. had, taken place between the Dutch and their
insular dependents, and that a system of free trade had
been adopted by the Dutch Uovernment, is rather a
prophetic_ annunciation than a statement of facts. The
Dutch Papers contain accounts of the successes of
their arms up to the 15th December, which is later
than any accounts previously received in Holland ; but
they do not mention that any treaty of peace had been
concluded.

[REPRESENTATIVE.]

It we know, the opinion of manyfriends of the
Ministry, that a'Ministerial man should not be start-
ed for Westminster. It is alleged that the radical in-.
terest is so.strong there,- that it cannot be shaken ; and
that any attempt at disturbing it would only produce
riot and disorder, without answering any tiglequ ate,
purpose ; :and the case of Sir.. Murray Maxwell is
quoted as a:proof of this assertion. So far, however,
from agreeing with this opinion, we, after a very
minute consideration of the present state of the West-
minater constituency, are perfectly .sure that the la&
cal interest there is on the wane, and that nothing is
wanting but courage on .the part of the friends' of
Ministers to put out one ;of its present Members, if
not both. The failure of Sir Murray Maxwell might
be accounted for on many .groundS.;, but, without
going into detail, one thing is abundantly evident—
taat when. he started as a candidate, many topics were
used with success, to stimulate the mob against
Ministers,- which now would not be listened to. The
day ofthe /.neat mob-charlatans has gone by. Preston,
Watson, fhistlewood, Ings, Cartwright, Thurtell,
Waddington, Gale Jones, linnerty, Wardle, &c. have
died by natural or by violent, though expected deaths,
or are altogether. unheard of in the country. The
subjects of the oratory of these people are as unlikely
to . revive effectually as thenise'lves. It was then
.preached that Annual Parliaments and Universal Suf-
frage would prevent all our evils, moral and physical,
—filet a handful of places (most of which have since
fallen in) were so overpaid as to oppress the nation
with hopeless ruin,that the National Debt should
he wied out with a sponge, and the landlords of Eng-
land denounced as enemies to the people, for expect-
ing rent for their lands,—and other fine things of the
same tendency: NoW that the veriest idiot in the na-
tion, has laughed at the idea that changes in the mode of
election or the duration of Parliaments (admitting, as
do, that both are the fairest subjects for discussion, and
alteration, if there were necessity,) could do the mira-
cles which were then: pretended—when it must be seen
that the grievances that were then made of so much
importance are as much the object of Ministerial at-
, tention as of Radical brawling—when they find that
their Representative, Sir Francis Burdatt, is as lIIUC I I
in
favour of the Corn Laws, which one Of their orators
most elegantly called 4; a kick in the vitals of a starving/
community," as the most Ultra Tory it.l the House,
and, that, at all events, it has ceased to be aquestion,
of petition, and become a question of political eco-
norny,—in short, when there is no topic for the mob,
which a Ministerial man could not, now answer before
the mob, and be listened to, we do not see why Sir F.
Burdett and Mr. Hothouse are to be allowed, on the
.strength 'of their invincibility among the popu-
lace, to walk over the. coupe. What Sir Francis's
Merits . are we all know,-whatever. Mr. Hobhouse's
pretensions to a seat in Parliament may be, it is, un-
necessary to say any thingabout them ; but it is quite
obvious that neither has any claim on the gentlemen
of Westminster—and we do not see why the gentle-
men should not have as good a right to expect a Repre-
sentative as the tailors, or any other part. of the com-
munity. But, even allowing that a candidate on
Ministerial grounds had no pOsitive certainty of suc-
ceeding, he would, at all events, have a large division
in his favour ; and so far from, thinking that the
contest would be of any harm, we are certain' that
it would be of advantage. The riots it might
occasion, in Westminsaer would be, after .all,
but,. temporary and trivial ; and the service it
would do the county, by , confining the agita-
tions of the mob to the spots where they would.,
be .of the least detriment, instead Of lettingthem loose
to disturb the country, would be an advantage which
would tylvly counterbalance any inconvenience. of the
Had we an .election in we should
not have Cobbett annoying the pooplo *f Preston, .or
Hunt affronting the gentlemen of Sornersetshire. We
shoUld have them herti—talking nonsense, or sedition,
-iebere, thqy would be sure it would be

most perfectly reported—instead of wasting it on the
desert air of the provinces, where they may be doing
mischief, or at all eNents creating annoyance, in place
of exciting derision. We hope that there may be a
chance of a new candidate fbr Westminster ; and we
do not know a better Parliamentary speculation.