The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-03 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1844.

After a brief discussion relative to the League and
tilie Anti-League, Lord CAMPBELL postponed his
motion fur the further consideration of the Libel Bill
ll Friday, owing to the absence of Lord DENMAN.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE moved the third reading
of the Sugar Duties Bill. He thought a differential
they of los. in favour of the West India interest was
quite sufficient, and trusted the house would accede
to th o measure. After some discussion the Bill was
read A third time and passed.
In the Commons, Mr. GLADSTONE moved for cer-
tain alterations in the Standing Orders of the House
;relative to railways, which were agreed to.
Mr. WALLACE moved for a Committee to inquire
into the conduct of the Judges who presided at the
asiizes held at Glasgow in the month of May, and.
respecially into the circumstances connected with
the trial of ALEXANDER WALKER, charged with COM-
:mating a felonious assault on a girl of tender age.
The LORD ADVOCATE, after stating the particulars
)f the case, and defending the conduct of the Judges,
)posed the motion, and on a division, it was rejected
b: .r a majority of 119.
Sir ROBERT PEEL then addressed the House, and
sal 1 ai Mr. DUNCOMBE had an important motion to
brivg forward relative to opening letters at the Post-
°tick:, he trusted Hon. Members who had the pre-
cedemee would give way. The proposition of the
Rig of Hon. Baronet, after some partial resistance'
was agreed to, and Mr. DuscomnE moved for the
appol ttLient of a Select Committee to inquire into
the Lecret department of the Post-office. The
lionorz ible Member gave a brief description of
the CA'Net noir, and apologised to M. Guizot
and the French authorities for charging them
with a practice—a base, mean practice—which
it now appeared was confined to England. In Aus-
tria, and some other countries, the authorities opened
letters, but in place of acting like Sir JAMES GRA-
HAM, who tried to conceal the degrading operation,
they sent them to their destination with the Govern-
ment stamp, intimating that the letters had been
opened. Ile would not confine the charge to the
Home Secretary, he brought it against the whole
Cabinet, who justified his conduct. Some of the
facts detailed by Mr. DUNCOMBE show the baseness of
the system, and cannot fail to rouse universal in-
dignation.

ROEBUCK seconded the motion, and was about
to address the Rouse, but gave way to Sir JAMES
GRAHAM, who seemed at length to think some defe-
rence should be paid to public opinion. In adverting
to the remarks of Mr. DuxcostnE, he repeated some
of his statements, as Mr. Dulicoroin thought not

very accurately-; and on the Hon. Member for
Finsbury endeavouring to put himself right, the
Home Secretary twice appealed to the House for pro-
tection, and begged to be permitted to make his de-
fence on such a grave charge without interruption.
After adverting to the attacks made upon him by the
press, and the speeches of Mr. MACAULAY, Lord J.
RUSSELL, Lord HowicK, and several other Members,
he said he was convinced that from that moment the
maintenance of such a power, without inquiry, was
impossible; and he would be a party, a willing party,
to such an inquiry. This was received with loud
cheers. Mr. DUNCOMBE had carried his point, and
the Right Hon. Baronet, wko at first would give no
explanation, showed himself willing to give every ex-
planation in a Committee. He proposed, therefore, to
move as an amendment that the inquiry should take
place before a Secret, not a Select, Committee,
and that it should be composed of four Members
generally supporting the Government—Lord SANDON,
Mr. B:. DRUMMOND, Mr. T. BARING, and Sir W.
lIEATITCOTE ; and five Members of the Opposition,
namely, Sir C. LEMON, Mr. WARBURTON, Mr.
STRUTT, the O'Cosoa DoN,. and Mr. ORD. No
lawyer was to be on the Committee, and Mr. T.
DUNCOMBE, the principal mover in this great and
stirring question was to be excluded.
Afte,.! some remarks from Mr. SMELL against this
omission, and also from Sir GEORGE GREY, Mr.
ROEBUCK, and others, Mr. JAMES moved that Mr.
T. DUNCOMBE be appointed on the Committee.
This was opposed by Sir ROBERT PEEL; and on a
division, there were, for the motion 52, and against
it 128.

This is bad policy on the part of the Government.
They profess to be anxious to make the most search-
ing inquiry, yet reject the services of the very man
best acquainted with the malversations which have
Excited such general obloquy. However something
is gained, and though the Committee is to be held
with closed doors, and the public, of course, will
regard its labours with less interest, yet we may
confidently trust that Mr. WARBURTON and the
other Liberal Members appointed on it, will not ne-
glect their duty. There must be something very
bad in the whole system, when the Government are
afraid to let in the light, and appoint a Secret Com-
mittee to examine into facts of the first importance,
land affecting the interests of any individual of the
public community.
No further business of importance was transacted,
t.nd the House adjourned at Twelve o'Clock.

We recur to the debate of last night in the House
oof Commons, on the subject of the violation of sealed
:letters at the General Post-office, in order to direct
:attention to some of the (hitherto) undisputed allega-
tions of Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE against that esta-
Ilishment. These certainly give a deeper and more
sombre col our to the malpractices aomplained of
ahan that under which they had previously presented
:themselves. Such a system as they disclose—prac-
:deed on such a scale, and with correspondence of so
sacred and important a character as the diplomatic
'communications of Foreign Powers to their accredited
agents here—is a monster-treachery of which, as ac-
rtually existing, we had not, we confess, the remotest
!idea. Mr. DUNCOMBE said, "he had not, of course,
'obtained a copy of the warrant ; but he understood
:that, at this moment, the letters of foreign Ministers
-were opened, and here examined and read. He be-
lieved that the letters to foreign Ministers were, at
-this moment, opened and read by the Right Hon.
;Baronet. Were these Ministers aware of the fact ?"
;If fact it be, we, for our parts, shall feel every
.disposition to follow Mr. DUNCOMBE'S example in his
;apology to M. GuizoT, by apologizing in our turn to
:the whole body of French writers, legislators, and es-
- :savists for our depreciation of their incessant declama-
;dons against "perfide Albion"—a practice which we
grieve to find Mr. T. DUNCOMBE with so much rca-
:son calling " eminently English"—is eminently in•
:famous.• But we rely on the well-earned character
sand reputation of our country for its love of honour,
,and its constitutional detestation of the employment
znd the occupation of spies, for our vindication, by
the world at large, from the charge of sanctioning by
,our example that of the Right Hon. Home Secre-
tary, as displayed in his dealings with Irish and with
Post-office questions. And if the moral scandal of
such base and prying letter-burglary or breaking be
thus disgraceful and enormous, the political conse-
quences that may flow from the just irritation of
•offended Cabinets at such insulting dishonesty—such
- :inexcusable tampering with their confidential dis-
, _patches are still more palpable. The inexpe-
diency of the thing is as great and as
.apparent as its iniquity. It is a social crime
and a political solecism. Away with the flimsy pre-
-texts of "justification" under peculiar circumstances,
and thb purport of secret information. No circum-
stance,, no informations can excuse such an offence
in the abstract. If there be a great treason, a
mighty movement of hostility to this country, a
threatening imminent peril, such as must over-ride
i all ordinary principles and relations, as their concoction
has already outstripped all ordinary protective combi-
A' nations—let the fact of such an exigency be broadly
and boldly stated, without disclosure of particulars;
and let Parliament be fairlysappealed to, whether in
open or in secret sitting, for the excessive powers re-
quired to deal with such an exigency. But nothing
of the kind is even pretended in this instance. It is
a petty, miserable affair, on Government's 'own
showing, that has induced them to descend
to this reckless and unprincipled proceeding.
It is said that the letters of Signor MAZZINI
were opened at the instance of the Sardinian Govern.
ment—that in many cases they were copied, and
the copies handed over to the Sardinian Ambas-
sador. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE undertook to prove that
this system of opening and copying letters had been
carrying on for two years " in the most unscrupulous
manner." Why, such malpractices as these in a
State department—such debauching of a Govern-
ment bureau—sink the character of its adminis-
trator in the eyes of all true Englishmen to the level
of JONATHAN WILD'S wholesale fence—for the re-
ception, concealment, discovery, or restoration of
stolen goods, according to the views and interests of
its reputable and very cunning director. But in the
end Mr. WILD'S speculation was not more felicitous
than it was honest; and we are mistaken if Sir
JAMES Gamitam—(we warned him, from the first,
that the case of MAzzrxr could not rest where it
was)—will find his Post-office ventures much more
illustrious than JONATHAN'S " fence" dealings—much
more popular than his own confidential instructions
about the meetings at Clonfert and Donnybrook.
The speech of Mr. DUNCOMBE elicited from Sir
JAMES, after sonic curious ebullitions of temper at
one or two casual interruptions, not only a consent
to the institution of the desired inquiry into this
affair, but this acknowledgment :—" On a former
occasion the Honourable Gentleman said this was
a question between the people of England and
the Government. Whatever it might have been, he
(Sir James) admitted that it assumed that aspect
now. He regarded this as a question between
the people and the Executive Government." Truly :
and the English people with reason complain that
their Government have been dishonouring their na-
tional character—disgracing the public good faith by
the practices now to be inquired into. The result of
the debate was characteristic. Sir JAAILS, on the
principle of Sir R. PEEL'S Government, suc-
cumbed cardinal
to circumstances. He proposed a Secret
Committee of Inquiry; but from the list he omitted
the name of Mr. DUNCOMBE himself, to whom the
country is indebted for the whole exposition of this
Ministerial delinquency. This omission was na-
turally reverted to by several independent Mem-
bers in speeches of great force, which rendered
due honour to Mr. DUNCOMBE. But Sir ROBERT
gave these signal evidences, first, of his unbounded re-
liance on the credulity of the House as to any assur-
ances personally given by him ; secondly, of the ser-
vile influence which binds a majority of such hetero-
geneous materials as any majority of that House must
now be, to a sickening and disgraceful compliance with
his views. Thus, he actually declared, with a gravity
unruffled by a smile or conscious chuckle, "that he
cordially shared in the soti.laction expressed by Hon.
Members that there would be now an opportunity
given of obtaining full information on the subject of
the invidious power of opening letters." Satisfaction ?
Credal, &c. Then, he opposed the addition of Mr.
DUNCOMBE'S name to the list on the motion of Mr.
JAMES ; and this ungracious ejection was affirmed by a
majority of 76. We confess that our hopes of the
results, so far as these are to evolve a full, fair, and
unflinching report on the mode in which this detest-
able power of letter-opening has been exercised both

by Sir JAMES GRAHAM and his predecessors, and the
facts attending its use in the particular cases brought
forward by Mr. DUNCOMBE, are as little sanguine
(after the quibbles resorted to by Ministers to avoid
giving greater extent and precision to the terms of
the instruction to the Committee), as our respect is
little " cordial" for the majority of 76, which would
not admit into the tribunal the manly and spirited
Member for Finsbury, by whose stirring appeals it
was extorted from the fears of the Government.

The usual weekly meeting of the Anti-Corn-law
League will take place this evening at Covent-garden
Theatre, when we trust that such a manifestation of
spirit and energy will be made, as shall convince the
free traders throughout the country that the recent
decision in the House of Commons against the
corn-laws, has, so far from damping the energy
of the League, only served to give it an ad-
ditional stimulus. It is not one, nor a dozen
such decisions—when we know the selfish mo-
tives that were at work in the House of Commons
to bring it about—that should strike dismay to the
hearts of the Leaguers. Their cause being a just
one, and supported by all the right-thinking people
in the community, their eventual triumph—and that
at no distant date—is certain, if theY only persevere
with the same unflagging zeal with which they have
hitherto carried on the struggle. There is to cause for
discouragement, but there is every cause for perse-
verance ; and should the late majority against
the corn-laws have the effect of rousing the
League to additional exertion, it will have been
productive of good rather than harm to the
great national cause of free trade. No political
triumph was ever yet achieved without a desperate
struggle—without being exposed to a thousand
disadvantages—subjected to a thousand discourage-
ment, from the lukewarmness of some, and the abject
despondency of others—but perseverance, in the long
run, rarely fails to carry all before it, and this is
what the League should itself practice, and stre-
nuously and incessantly recommend to its myriad
supporters throughout the country.

Madrid journals of the 25th have been received,
and bring no facts of importance but plenty of
rumours respecting the plans of the Government.
According to some the Cortes is to be dissolved, and
a new Cortes to be convoked forthwith. Others
state that the Ministerial consultation at Barcelona
had suddenly come to a close; that there was a divi-
sion in the Ministry ; that Senhor Mort had left for
Madrid; and Senhor Dr. VILUMA had resigned.
The Three per Cents. were done at 27 for cash,
and 271 at 60 days ; and the Five per Cents. at 20i.
at 59 days, with premium.

The article in the Moniteur of Sunday, urging the
necessity of making a State provision for the younger
sons and daughters of Lows PHILIPPE, has caused a
great sensation in Paris and most of the journals
comment on it with much severity. It may be inte-
resting, therefore, to our readers to give a brief out-
line of their comments on this extraordinary docu-
ment. The Journal des Debats publishes it without
any remarks. The Globe, a journal supposed to be
the organ of the Court, says good men kill appre•
ciate the clearness with st hich the paper is drawn up,
but declines to enter upon the question at present, as
" facts must be first known." The paper of M.
TRIERS, who of course is anxious not to give offence
at Court, throws all the blame on Ministers, and ob-
serves that " the article of the Moniseur will be read
with astonishment, not only in France, but by all
Europe; and that everybody will be struck with the
infatuation of the Ministers who have advised and
promoted such a publication." The antrrier Fran-
cais says, " every one has remarked that the kind
of petition presented by the Moniteur in favour of
the dotation of the Duke DE NEMOURS coincided
with the distribution of the railroads amongst
the different parts of the territory and of the Chamber.
The Chamber has its share and the Ministry demands
a dotation for the Princes. If France be contented,
the dynasty must also be satisfied. Such conduct is
not dignified, but it is adroit perhaps : donnant, don-
nant." The Commerce censures the Ministry for
yielding on the dotation question to the desire of the
Crown, and regards the publication as an official
pledge to bring the question before the Chamber at
the, commencement of the next session. The Quoti-
dienne thus adverts to it :—" 'We will not reply to
this note; that is the affair of M. DE CORMEN IN ; we
will merely say that if it be, as we suppose, the an-
nouncement of a Dotation Bill for the future Regent,
it is very maladroit to recal to mind that the first
Regent of the name of ORLEANS would never dip
into the coffers of the State, for everybody mill na •
turally be tempted to say that his great-great-grand-
son ,would do well to follow his example." The
France, which places at the head of its article on
the Moniteur, the word " Lamentations " in
capital letters, and an engraving representing
tears in sign of distress, says :—" The dota-
tion affair enlarges itself. All the younger sons,
and the daughters of Louis PimarrE are now to be
provided for. At the opening of the session the
Cabinet must, by means of its friends, have sent some
very severe admonitions to the Tuileries to have had
any respite. Now that the session is nearly over the
attempt is renewed, and it is the Moniteur that is
made the organ of the dynastic distress crying for
relief." "The Moniteur," says the Siecle," contains
an article of which the gravity could not escape the
attention of our readers. Bringing forward the
question of dotation, which was believed to have been
abandoned, the official journal applies itself to the
demonstration of two principal propositions—first,
that the KING'S sons cannot exist without a dotation ;
and secondly, that the KING'S private domain not
being sufficient to provide them with one, it is the
budget of the State which must provide the funds.
This article was the text on Sunday of every conver-
sation in Paris. It affords matter for a thousand
conjectures."
The last extract is from the National and is the
most bitter of all. It denies the truth of the state-
ments put forth by the Moniteur, and contends in
these words that the Royal Family are amply pro-
vided for :
"A solemn article of the official Moniteur, deliberated with-
out doubt in the Council of Ministers, has fallen all of a
sudden in the midst of the railroad discussions, and on the
eve of the budget. This budget is not less than 1,300 mil-
lions? the floating debt is 500 millions, the reserve of the
sinking is absorbed, and the State will require all its re-
sources until 1855 to suffice for these vast works of public
utility which engage the present, and even attack the future.
Well then, whilst the country is busied about these great in-
terests, which are important for its prosperity as for its
power, whilst intelligent financiers are recommending the
Government to spare the forces of the Treasury and of public
credit, in order to turn them to account at thepropermoment,
the Cabinet appears occupied with a sole idea—who would be-
live it ?—with the dotation of the Princes and Princesses of the
Royal Family! This appears fabulous, unheard of, and yet it is
the truth. And what is there new in what is said?? What argu-
ment has been invented ? What is there that has not been
already said and resaid, and torn to pieces with victorious
replies? By right, the insufficiency of the private property
Of the Crown ought to be proved. But is that done by vague
allegations? Show your books, and let them be examined
to ascertain the truth. The Civil List is so poor, it would
seem, as to be on the point of pledging its property at the
Mont de Piet. That is exceedingly affecting; and to see
this Civil List so cruelly involved, forces tears from our eyes.
However, if in place of petitions thus made, we examine
facts, perfectly well known to every one, we feel ourselves
somewhat less moved. It will be well to briefly state those
facts, for they contain the whole question. Contrary to what
had been up to that time the practice, the Duke of Orleans,
when on the point of ascending. the throne, disposed of his
private estates, which ought to have merged in the property
of the Crown. Ile made the property over to his children,
reserving to himself a life-interest in it. What was the value
of that private domain? That is naturally estimated by
the revenues, and these show that the minimum value of the
private domain is 100 millions. The King reserves 12 mil-
lions a-year in hard cash from the budget, and has, besides,
the revenues arising from the property of the Crown, which
brings the Civil List up to 22 millions a-year."

On:Monday the subject was brought under the no-
tice of the Chamber of Deputies by M. LTIERBETTE,
who asked M. GuizoT whether the Government ac-
cepted the responsibility of the article in the:Moniteur,
at the same time expressing his amazement that it
should have been published. M. GUJZOT replied in
the affirmative, and said lie himself had held nearly
similar language in the Chamber of Peers, when he
declared dotations to be the necessary consequences
of monarchic institutions. M. DuriN did not believe
that the article had emanated from the KING, while
he condemned the mode of re-introducing the question
of dotation as unconstitutional. _ _ _

On Monday the Three per Cents. closed at 81f. 90c.
and the Fives at 122 f. 40c.

THE BOURSE-MOI'DAY, JULY 1.

First Highest Lowest Last
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per C 'nits ••• • • • 122 05 .. 122 40 • • 122 05 .. 122 05
Three per Cents. •• . 82 . • 82 • 81 15 • • 81 85
Bank of France .... • 3025 • . 3025 3020 . • 3020
Laffitte Bank, I,ooof. Shareslllo ..1110 .. 1110 . • 1110
5,000 f. SharessoBo •.5080 5080 • • 5080
Belgian Fives, 1840 1041 .. 1041 .. 1041 104 i
1842 .. .. 1084 .. 1084 .. 108#.c 1081

•• •• 301
•• 34f •• 34f
.• 98 60 .. 98 65
•• 104 104

Spanish Active .. ••••• • • • • • 3GI aot
Threes •.•• • . • ... • • 341 .. 34i
Neapolitan 99 • • 99
Roman
RAILWAY SHARES.
380 380 .. 372 50 .. 372 50
255 .• 256 25 .. 250 .. 250
Rouen 987 50 .. 987 50 .. 987 50 .. 987 50
Rouen to Havre.. •• .• 757 50 757 50 757 50 .. 757 50
Orleans
Strasburg to Bale.• 246 25 .. 246 25 .. 240 .. 240
Avignon to Marseilles.. •• •• 767 50 767 50 .. 767 50 . 767 50
RAILWAY SHARES FOR SETTLING, 2D JULY.
St. Germain
Versailles, R. 8...• •• •• 377 50 .. 377 50 .. 372 50 372 50
L.B • • • • • • • • •• •• 255 .. 255 .. 250 .. 250
Rouen ...... •• •• .......... 990 .. 990 .. 987 50 . 987 50
Rouen to Havre•
Orleans ••. 987 50 •• 987 50 .. 987 50 987 50
Strasburg to Bale• • • • • • 245 .. 246 25 .. 240 .. 240
Avignon to Marseilles•• • • •• 765 .. 770 .. 765 770
RAILWAY SHARES FOR THE ACCOUNT, 15TH JULY.
St. Germain .
Versailles, R.B. • • • • • • .. 377 50 . • 377 50 . • 375 .. 375
:L.B.•••••• ...••• 247 50 .. 247 50 .. 247 50 .. 247 50
Rouen. 990 .• 992 50 .. 990 990
Rouen to Havre..
Orleans 990 990 .. 987 50 .. 987 50
Strasburg to Bale•• •• • • .... 247 50 .. 247 50 .. 240 .. 240

Ver5ai11e5,R.8........... • •

L. 8............

THIS DAY S NEWS.

EXPRESS FROM. PARIS.

We (Herald) have just received the following
from our Paris correspondent 7
PARIS, TUESDAY, Two P.M.

An extraordinary courier, who left Perpignan on
the 29th of June, brings the following important in-
telligence

" The Emperor of Morocco has rejected the ai-
matum of the Spaniih Government.

" The Emperor .has equally rejected the proferred
mediation of England.
"The four Spanish Ministers nosy at Barcelona
will return to Madrid at the end of this present
week."

Our Paris correspondent, writing at two o'clock
P.M., says, that the impression produced by the
news of the Emperor's obstinacy, in the best poli-
tical circles, is, that France must have recourse to
most decisive measures. France and Spain, it is
concluded, are equally set at defiance, and England
barred from interference.

PARIS BOURSE, TUESDAY, JULY 2,
QUARTER TO Two.

The Bourse is better. The Three per Cents.,
which opened at 81f. 95c., are now freely done at
82f. sc. The Five per Cents. are 122 f. 45c. No
change in Railway Shares.

The Madrid journals of the. 26th contain little of
political importance.
Madrid Bourse on the 26th.—Three per Gents.,
27 3-16 for cash; Fives, 20 for cash.