The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-06 00:00:00

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SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock,

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FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
GLOBE.—The session of Parliament was formally
closed yesterday. The Joint-Stock Cabinet produc-
tion—designated, by courtesy, " the Royal Speech"—
was on this occasion read by the Lord Chancellor.
This circumstance is a source of satisfaction.
That so wretched a composition—in which the
object and interest of its concoctors was
manifestly to say nothing, and thus to cast a
veil over their own incompetency for conducting the
business of the nation with advantage—should have
been placed in the hands, and passed from the lips, of
our beloved Sovereign, would have excited regret. It
is bad enough that the country should be cursed with
so wretched a set of Ministers; it would increase
the mortification, for it would enhance the
incessant mischiefs they inflict, were the Queen
to be exhibited on the throne, as their
puppet, to speak a string of words of no
meaning, such as the Speech of yesterday was
constructed of. The session is described in the
Speech as "laborious and protracted." If it were
" laborious," its labours were unproductive of good—
if protracted, the time it occupied in its sittings was
unmarked by a single measure of national utility.
The session of 1843-4 will be chronicled as devoid of
interest. It would be well if the most prominent of the
incidents which have occurred during its proceedings
) could be obliterated from the records of Parliament.
13i Circumstances have occurred in the course of the
' debates that have tended to lower the House of Com-
mons in the estimation of the country. 'Weakness of
purpose, shown by truckling to the dictation of the
Minister, have brought its character as an independent
branch of the Constitution, into discredit, if they do
not brand it with disgrace. The divisions on the ten
hours' clause of the Factory Bill, and upon the sugar-
', duties resolution, will remain—a proverb of reproach to
the assembly in which the inconsistencies occurred.
The Speech states, with more of swagger than is jus-
tified by the paucity of information it deigns to supply,
" that, by the justice and moderation of the two Go-
) vernments, the events which seemed likely to inter-
rupt ) the good understanding and friendly relations
between this country and France have been
p averted." In the House of Commons Sir Robert Peel
and Lord Aberdeen designated the conduct of the
7 French authorities at Otaheite " a gross outrage," for
2 which " ample satisfaction" had been " promptly de-
;
e manded," and " must be obtained." There is reason
to believe that these "brave words" were all of bravery
that the British Government displayed ; or that if they
were used in the discussion between the two govern-
ments, their tone was soon lowered to a standard
more consistent with the craven courage which distin-
guishes the presiding genius of the Foreign-office. The
" gross outrage" to British honour has been atoned
for ; and the indignation it called forth from the Pre-
-34 mier and his Foreign Secretary has been propitiated,
by the mere removal from the scene of outrage of 11.
D'Aubigny, the functionary who perpetrated the
foul indignity on the British Consul, and the insult
to the British flag. His dismissal from the French
service, if required by the British Government, was
% refused. Mr. Pritchard, who suffered personally and
Is officially from the violence of the French autho-
rities, is no longer to be entrusted with the func-
tions of a Consul. Without a single imputation upon
his conduct, he is sacrificed by his Government at the
31 altar of French sensitiveness. He was the victim of
534 French violence at Otaheite. He is the victim of
7 British injustice at home. This, in the language of
5% the Speech, is "justice and moderation." Every-
where else it is spoken of as a paltry concession to
o French arrogance—a pusillanimous abandonment of
o rightful claims—a criminal indifference to the honour
t3s. and interests of the British name and nation.
Peace would not have been perilled by firm-
a ness—it would have been preserved. Future causes
534 of difference between the two countries would have
8 been prevented, if in the discussions on the Otaheitan
75% question between the two Governments, a tone and
s% bearing had been adopted more consistent with the
y5.1,4i position of the British nation, and with the nature of
5,1 the "outrage' upon our flag and representative, of which
we complained. The British Government affected to
feel, as it ought, when [speaking on the subject; but
1i34 this feeling has apparently evaporated in sound.
5 The paragraph in which " the result of the session "
is summed up, is of the style usually designated
"slap-dash." It was evidently contributed by Lord
Lyndhurst, as his portion toward the Cabinet com •
position :—" The result of the session has been
a completion of many measures calculated to im-
prove the administration of the law, and to pro-
;s4 mote the public welfare." The only measure
which is specifically mentioned, as justifying this
y% high-sounding claim to legislative wisdom and
utility, is the Bank Restriction Issue Bill —a measure
' certainly not connected with the " administration of
534 the law ; ' while the extent to which it will operate
7,,u to " promote the public welfare," is more easily
a% affirmed than demonstrated. We gave it the aid of our
,9, general approval at the time it was brought forward.
'1 We still think it calculated to place the monetary
transactions of the country on a sounder basis. But
2 who ever expected to see it paraded in the Speech, at
the close of the session, as the ground of a claim
4 on the part of the Government to a nation's praise ?
How miserably deficient must the session have shown
3 itself, when looking back upon their doings, the Cabi-
-75% net, while concocting the Speech with which to close
its " laborious and protracted " proceedings, could
•
3 find nothing more important among them than this
o mediocre "production, to mention by name ! The
omission of all allusion to Ireland must strike every
o one. There is more eloquence in this silence
than any words that could have been em-
s ployed. 'We read in it the deep mortifica-
D% tion inflicted by defeat—the distracting diffi-
e4
s culties with which Ministers feel themselves sur-
s rounded. They are not only at a loss what to do—
they are actually at a loss what to say. Speech fails
g them—confusion covers them. What ! not one word
about Ireland ? Has not the dignity of the law been
6 vindicated ? Has not the public peace been preserved
7 and the advantages of social order secured, by the
tis prosecution and condign punishment of those who et-
a tempted to subvert them ? What has become of that
part of the Speech in which the policy of Ministers
7 in the government of Ireland was lauded by
I% themselves, as demonstrative of their wisdom and 4
( energy ? Where is now that well-poised paragraph ?
The reversal of the judgment pronounced upon Mr.
r O'Connell has converted their wisdom into foolish-
ness, and rendered them the objects at which a nation
s points its finger in derision. They will be laughed
,34 to scorn by the Irish people ; instead of being, as
sN they otherwise would have been, the theme of their
;11 undying antipathy. Sir Robert Peel will learn
during the recess, that which he ought long since to
I have known and acted upon—that he cannot govern
IN Ireland. The party with which he is associated, and
which endures him as its head, will not allow him to
95115 act upon a generous policy towards a sensitive peo-
-53( ple ; and that people will not submit to be nominally
file, freemen, while the Ministers seek to govern them as
though they were slaves.
4 STANDARD.—The Times has this day an ill-
-3 •
eu natured article upon the Royal Speech. The tone of
DsZ the article, which makes a commentary upon the
sg Speech a vehicle for a personal attack upon the Pre-
mier, will surprise no one who has had experience
, of the general " fault- finding" disposition of our
,% morning contemporary, and has paid any attention
36 to its recent conduct towards her Majesty's Govern-
ment. The Times commences by an allusion to the
announcement of " the re-establishment of perfect
" amity with France." This must be a bitter dose to
a journal which had laboured with so much assiduity
; to prove the improbability of such a " re-establish-
t went of perfect amity," and, indeed, had done its part
ri to render it improbable, if not impossible • the dose
i;4 being thus bitter, it is swallowed with all dispatch.
) 5 The commentator then proceeds to commend the style
and structure of the Royal Address, somewhat equivo-
cally, as " something more than an average specimen of
the ordinar=y featherbed style of composition, and the
7U ordinary milk-and-water pieces of information which
a
ot6 such documents display." This contemptuous tone
a may be employed in speaking of any State paper,
whatever its merits, provided only that it has merits;
2 such documents, if they are easy and clear in style,
434 and communicate information, which is at once
true and gratifying, satisfy, we presume, all
9
su, requirements. "Doubtless if the Times had to write
;;6 a Royal Speech, it would season it with a few
4); sneers to please those who hate to hear any one, or
anything, commended without qualification, or with a
few anecdotes furnished, perhaps, by its "naval offi-
-7 cer " correspondents. The paucity of " definite state.
5
5 ments" is, however, fixed upon as the great defect of the
Speech. What would our Contemporary have ? The
1% Speech announces peace abroad and at home, improved
activity in manufactures and commerce, a greatly Rug-
i34mented revenue, and the prospect of an abundant har-
vest. Was the Speech to enter into particulars—to give
the statistical proofs in support of all these general
Pte' statements ? In that case we should compassionate
q 4 all obliged to listen to it. Let nobody imagine that
"))4 because these gratifying statements are necessarily
general, they are thiugs of course. The experience of
11 years of Whig-Radical Government has taught us
that they are not. They announce the enjoyment of
those benefits and blessings for the absence of which the
Royal addresses from 1830 to 1841 had pretty
generally to apologise or to express regret. This is a
j change in the style of the sessional addresses which
will be appreciated by that rational portion of man-
/! kind who remember that the business of a Govern-
ment is in the first place to govern, not to change—to
administer the powers confided to it for the promotion
lof peace, industry, and national prosperity, which if
it does effectually, it unquestionably fulfils its highest
function. If we could imagine on earth a perfect
constitution of government, and a social state
calling fCie no improvement, the country enjoying
this constitution and this social state could be
addressed in no other terms of congratulation than
those upon which the Times affects to pour
contempt. It is a great step towards this

BANKRUPTS.
JOHN QUY, cattle dealer, Mark's-hall, Essex, to
surrender Sept. 12, at one, and Oct, .18, at half-past
eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Alsager, official
assignee, Birchin-lane, Cornhill ; Ashley, Shoreditch.
THOMAS ROLLINGS, wine merchant, Ingram-
court, City, Sept. 12, at half-past one, and Oct, 18, at
eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Alsager, official
assignee, Birchin-lane ; Goddard, King-street, Cheapside.
LAWRENCE SOTHERS and WILLIAM PER-
RITT, grocers, Gravesend, Sept. 13, at half-past eleven,
and Oct. 18, at half-past one, at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Alsager, official assignee, Birchin-lane, London;
Thompson, Debenham, and Field, St. Swithin's-lane,
London.

THOMAS BAILEY and JOHN BAILEY, toy-
dealers, King's-cliffe, Northamptonshire, Sept. 13, at two,
and Oct. 18, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whit.
more, official assignee, Basingliall•street, London ; God-
dard, King-street, Cbeapside, London.
ROBERT THORNTON DOCKERY, fruiterer, Far-
ringdon-market, Sept. 14, at eleven, and Oct. 18, at two,
at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official as-
signee, Basinghall-street ; Jerwood, Walbrook-build-
ings, City.
CHARLES ROSS TERRILL, victualler, Carey-
street, Chancery-lane, Sept. 14, at half-past eleven, and
Oct. 22, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Alsager,
official assignee, Birchin-lane ; Robinson, Ironmonger-
lane.

ROBERT PETTIGREW, jun., tailor. Woolwich,
Sept. 12, at two, and Oct. 18, at twelve, at the Court of
Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-
street ; Hine and Robinson, Charterhouse-square.
CLARKE, builder, Sheffield ,Sept. 18, and
Oct. 4, at eleren, at the Leeds District Court. Fearne,