The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 171 1844,

with regard to the admission fees to the Cathedral,
but no final arrangement had yet been made.
Captain BERNAL resumed the adjourned debate
on the state of Ireland, and in strong terms
denounced the policy pursued towards that country.
If they wished to govern Ireland, he said, with ad-
vantage to England, they must govern according to
Irish notions—above all, they must cherish the Ca-
tholic religion ss a good, and not tolerate it as an
evil.
Mr. D'IsRAELI followed. _ _

Mr. WARD, who has taken much interest in the
affairs of Ireland, made an excellent speech, and con-
trasted the monster meetings which had taken place
in England with those for which Mr. O'CONNELL
and his friends had been convicted in Ireland.

Colonel CoNomx defended the course pursued by
the Government, and asserted that the Protestants,
and not the Catholics of Ireland, were the objects
of persecution.
He was followed by Mr. Sergeant MURPHY, Mr.
ESCOTT, Mr. C. BULLER, and Lord STANLEY, when
the debate was again adjourned.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at a Quarter to One o'Clock.

The ablest and most manly speech made on Thurs-
day in the House of Commons was decidedly that of
Lord Howicx, who inveighed in indignant terms
against the tardiness and manifest reluctance of Go-
vernment in bringing forward remedial measures for
the sister-country ; and asked, with pointed emphasis,
if this was a case in which they could safely wait till
a more convenient season to propose more enlarged
schemes of amelioration. " While peace lasted,"
observed the Noble Lord, " the utmost extent of
the evil might be the production of a state of society
which must be intolerable to all who were forced to live
in it ; and GOD knew this was bad enough ! But had
Government considered what would be the result,
should a foreign war break out ? What would be their
situation if they were again called on to carry on
a mortal struggle with a foreign enemy, with
nearly one-third of the whole population of the
empire ready, not to take part with them, but
against them, with all the deadly hatred which
sprung from concealed disaffection ? Did they con-
sider how fearful a danger this was ? Peace, hap-
pily, prevailed; but who could say how long it would
last ? This state of things was a temptation to other
countries, knowing the sources of our weakness, to
ask for that which was inconsistent with our honour
and our interest." This is just the sort of argument
that would suggest itself, not to a mere red-tape-
tyer, but to a statesman of enlightened and compre-
hensive views, such as Lord Howicn shows himself
to be, throughout his well-digested speech on Ireland.
That it will produce much impression on a
Government whose highest object seems to be to
legislate for the day, leaving the morrow to shift for
itself, we do not suppose for an instant ; but it will
tell with the country ; it will sink deep into the
minds of all whose opinions are worth consideration ;
and induce them to regard the Irish question in a far
different light to that in which they may have
hitherto been in the habit of viewing it. So long as
Ireland continues in her present state of deplorable
disaffection—a disaffection prevented from breaking
out into open insurrection, not so much by the mili-
tary force stationed in that country, as by the inces-
sant, earnest appeals of O'CoNNELL--there can be
no sure guarantee for the safety of England, in the
event of a war breaking out with any of the Con-
tinental Powers. With the affections of Ireland
estranged from us, with what confidence could we
venture to oppose the troops of France, burning to
revenge the defeat of Waterloo ? How meet
the myriad masses of trained soldiers whom,
by the mere stamping of his foot, the Emperor
of RUSSIA could summon into the field of
action ? How oppose the bold, stubborn forces
of the American Republic, whose recent mani-
festation of sympathy has so warmly endeared it to
the heart of Ireland ? These are contingencies not
very likely—we devoutly hope and believe—to
happen ; still they come within the limits of proba-
bility, and an enlightened Government—one, we
mean, that can see beyond its nose—should always
be provided against the chances of their occur-
rence. With the sister-country at our back, we
may bid defiance to the world ; but while Ireland
I continues to be our weakness instead of our strength
—our shame instead of our boast—we must be con-
tent from time to time to put up with sleights to
which, under other circumstances, we should not
dream of submitting. Lord Howlett remarked
that Ministers bad shown energy only in " re-
pressing external signs of disobedience," and had
manifested a deplorable want of vigour in bringing
forward remedial measures. This is perfectly true.
When once they had decided on the point, they could
be prompt enough in putting Mr. O'CONNELL on his
trial for conspiracy ; but their landlord-and-tenant
commission, which is meant to have a conciliatory
tendency, still "drags its slow length along ;"
and it appears to be a matter of considerable
doubt, whether, for this year at least, any re-
sult, in the slightest degree beneficial, will be
obtained from it. What substantial good can any
rational individual anticipate from a Government
which thus shows itself feeble in the right, and
forcible in the wrong ; and legislates on the assump-
tion that Ireland has scarcely one solid comprehensive
grievance to complain of, and that consequently the
slightest possible modicum of relief will be quite suffi-
cient to answer every useful purpose ? In speaking of the
Irish Protestant Church, Lord Howicn expressed him-
self with a manliness—a distinctness—a sincerity----de-
serving of all possible praise, and satisfactorily showed
that, until that gigantic grievance was con-
siderably mitigated, if not wholly done away
with, there could be no hope of perma-
nent tranquillity in Ireland. It might be
kept in a state of sulky subordination by the pre-
sence of English troops, occupying it as though it
were an enemy's country ; but it would never be
cordially reconciled to us—never act as our right
arm in the hour of difficulty and danger.

Madrid papers of the Bth have been received, but
they add little to the intelligence published on Thurs-
day. Madrid, by order of the Captain-General
NARVAEZ, had been declared in a state of siege,—
that is under martial-law. The editors of three
Liberal journals have announced thai they are com-
pelled to suspend their publication under such extra.:
ordinary circumstances. " Absolute power," says
one of them (the .Eco del Comercio) being now esta-
blished, and the sword of a soldier suspended over our
heads, we are compelled to yield to force and discon-
tinue our labours. The whole is now placed in an
exceptional condition, under the rule of the sword.
The military authorities are invested with all the
public powers. They dispose of the lives of citizens
whom they can send to the scaffold by nferely ac-
cusing them of indirectly favouring revolt. Before
retiringlrom the contest, we protest against a mea-
sure so illegal and so tyrannical. Whilst there existed
a shadow of liberty we supported our principles at all
risks, like men of_ courage and conviction. But now
our sacrifices would be unavailable, for we should
soon fall into the snares which are laid for the organs
of public opinion."
The Espectador made a nearly similar declaration,
and published
_ifs last number with several blank
columns. _ _

The Three per Cents. were done at 28+ for cash,
and 29 at 60 days, and the Five per Cents., at 201 *

and 19i at 60 days.

All the Paris papers of Wednesday publish a tele-
graphic dispatch from Calais, announcing the convic-
tion of Mr. O'CoNNELL and the other traversers. They
make few comments on it, however, as the real nature
of the verdict given on Saturday was hardly intelli-
gible to Englishmen, and would, therefore, ill bear a
translation. The Courtier Francais, however, reck- •
oned a conviction as certain, and remarks ;—" Will
Sir R. PEEL thereby reduce the agitator to silence?
—does he imagine that the complaints of Ireland will
be extinguished by his imprisonment P ZIP English
Government has these questions to solve ; but British
philanthropy tempoii,se!i with the ills of Ireland, and
to gain time has provoked 11 gpndemnation.l4s Thisting
miserable expedient of a petty policy yip 4
shame to the Tory Ministry and to the Judges
Queen CHRISTINA was to leave Paris on Thursday
for Marseilles, and proceed to Spain from that place
by sea.
The French Funds were very firm on Wednesday,.
The Three per Cents. closed at 82f. 50e. ; the Five
per Cents., 125£ 80c.; Orleans Railroad Shares, 8521.

50c.; Rouen, 832 f. 50c. ; Havre, 672 f. 50c. ; Avig-
non, 757 f. 50c.

THE BOURSE-WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14.
First Highest Lowest

Last

Price. Price. Price.
French Five per Cents. • • 125 70 . • 125 70 .• 125 60 .• 125 65
Four per Cents 106 50 .. 106 50 .• 106 50 .. 106 50
Three per Cents. • B2 50 • • 82 50 .. 82 35 . • 82 45
Bank of France. 3275 ..3275 ..3275 ..3275
Laftitte Bank, I,ooof. Sharesllos ..1106 .. 1105 .. 1105
5,000 f. Sharesso67 50 —5067 50 —5067 50 —5067 50
Belgian Bank 675 .. 675 .. 675 .. 675
Belgian Five 5.......
1840 ........ 109/ .. 109/ •. 109/ •. 109/
1842 1101 .. 110/ .. 1101 .. 1101
Spanish Active 311 .. 311 .. 311 •• 311
Passive ..
Portuguese Five per Cents•• 47 .. 47 .. 461 .• 461
Neapolitan ......
Roman ......... ..... • • •• • • 107 .• 107 . • 107 • . 107
RAILWAY SHARES.

Versailles,R.B
L. 8.• • •• • • 172 50 .• 175 .. 172 50 .. 175
Rouen ......•.•........... 835 .. 835 .. 835 .. 835
Rouen to:Havre.. • .....• 670 .. 675 .. 670 .. 675
Orleans .... ••••• •••• ..... 850 .. 850 .. 850 .. 850

Ctrasburg to Bale.. ..... 247 50 •• 247 50 •. 243 75 .. 247 50
Montpellier to Cette........ 495 .. 495 .. 495 .. 495
Avignon to Marseilles...••• 763 •• 765 .• 760 •. 760

RAILWAY SHARES, FOR THE ACCOUNT.
Versailles, R. 8.... ..... 350 .. 352 50 .. 350 352 50
L. 8.•• •••• ...... 167 50 .. 175 .. 167 50 .. 175
R0uen......
Rouen to Havre 675 .. 675 .. 670 .. 672 50
Orleans

Strasburg to 8a1e.... ...... 248 75 .. 248 75 .. 243 75 .. 246 2-5
Avignon to Marseilles.. 760 •• 760 •• 757 50 .. 757 50

The Army Estimates, Ist April, 1844, to 31st
March, 1845 (laid upon the Table of the House of
Commons, and ordered to be printed on the Bth inst.),
consist, in the first place, of the state of particulars re-
spectively attached to the Two Votes into which the
" Charr for her Majesty's land forces at home and
abroad' is condensed :—Vote 1, declares the number
of men to be taken for the year ; Vote 2, the estimated
charge for the same. Vote 1, sets out, " the number
of officers, non-commissioned officers, and rank and
file which, it is proposed to maintain for the service
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
(exclusive of the troops employed in the East Indies),
for the above period," at 100,295. Vote 2, esti-
mates the charge of her Majesty's land forces
for service at home and abroad for the
same term, at 4,475,8261. But, since the charge for
five regiments of cavalry, and twenty-three regiments
of infantry, which are employed in the East Indies ;
and the charge, also, of the East India depots at
Maidstone and Chatham, are defrayed by the East
India Company, their amount (together 939,9061.)
are to be deducted from this aggregate, as well as a
further sum of 104,156/. on account of appropriations
in aid. The net amount, therefore, to be provided
under terms of vote 2, is 3,431,764/. The total net
amount to be granted for these services, and for the
several other services forming the subjects of the re-
maining votes comprised in these estimates, is (effec-
tive and non-effective) 5,984,524/. This total, for
last year, was 6,225,103/., showing a decrease in
the Army Estimates for the present year, as com•
pared with those for 1843-44, of 240,579/. The
charges for the current year, on account of the several
services under the class " Effective," are stated, re-
spectively, thus :—Staff Officers, 158,231/. ; Public
Departments, 90,308/. ; Royal Military College,
17,9181.; Royal Military Asylum and Hibernian
Schools, 13,4061.; Volunteer Corps, 86,0771.; Un-
provided Services of former years, 1,6491. The total
of these is 3,783,437/. (the item on account of Royal
Military College, &c., being defrayed by an appro-
priation in aid). The amount to be provided for
" Non-Effective Service" is thus distributed :—Re-
wards for Military Services, 13,953/. ; Army Pay of
General Officers, 77,000/. ; Full Pay for Retired Offi-
cers, 62,300/. ; Half-pay and Military Allowances,
45C,000/. ; Foreign Half-pay, 54,932/. ; Widows'
Pensions, 141,610/. ; Compassionate Allowances,
Bounty Warrants, and Pensions for Wounds,
110,000/. ; In-Pensioners of Chelsea and Kilmain-
ham, and Out-Pensioners of Chelsea Hospitals,
1,252,792/. ; Superannuation Allowances, 38,500/.
These Estimates are prepared with great minuteness
and in much detail ; and all the items are stated with
remarkable distinctness and precision.