The Sun.
London, England, 1829-09-21 00:00:00

the papers of the Major had been brought to Tripoli
by some people of Ghadames, and that a Truk,
named Hassouna-Dghies, received them in a mys-
terious manner. Mr. Warrington having so far pro-
ceeded that the truth was at length on the point of
being distOvered, Hassouna not daring to wait for
the result, took refuge with Mr. Coxe, the American
Consul. The Pacha signified to Mr. Coxe; that
he acknowledged the inviolability of the asylum
granted to the 1 urk, but that as his evidence was
necessary in the investigation of the assassination of
Major Laing, he begged him not to favour his flight.
Mr. Warrington wrote in the same manner to his
colleague. However, Hassouna left Tripoli in the
night of the 9th of August, disguised, it is said, as
an American officer; and took refuge on board the
American corvette Fairfield, Captain Parker, then
in the road of Tripoli, and which weighed anchor on
10th August, in the morning. The Pacha, enraged
at the escape of Hassouna, sent for his brother Ma-
hommed, who on being threatened, confessed in writ-
ing, and upon oath, that Hassouna, his brother,
had had the Major's papers, in his possession, but
had given them up to a person whom we shall not
name, for a deduction of 40 per7rent. on the debts
which he had contracted in France, and of which
the latter was endeavouring to obtain payment.--
Mohammed's declaration, which fills three plges,
contains valuable and numerous particulars respect.
ing the Major's papers. However, when he left the
palace, fearing that the Pacha might punish him in-
stead of his brother, he went to take refuge with the
person of whom all have spoken, and implored his
protection. On this the Consuls-General of the
Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Sardinia,
went to the person indicated as the receiver, and
summoned him in the name of Mr. Warrington, and
on the ground of Mohammed's declaration, instantly
to deliver up Major Laing's papers. He answered
haughtily, that the declaration was a tissue of ca-
lumnies; and Mohammed, depending probably on a
pretended inviolability, wholly disavowed it, and
even denied his own hand-writing. This palinode
deceived nobody. The Pacha, in a rage, sent his
own son, Sidi Ali, to Mohammed, Who, being
threatened with being seized by the Chiaoux, re-
traced his retactation, and confirmed, in a new de-
claration made in the presence of all the Consuls,
that which he had made in the morning, before the
Pacha and his principal officers.
Now, the circumstances of this affair are clear,
and we submit them to the attention of France and
Europe. Our readers will easily guess what deli-
cacy has obliged us to pass over in silence. One
consolatory fact results from these afflicting details
the papers of Major Laing exist, and the learned
world will rejoice ; but in the name of humanity, in
the name of science, in the name of the national ho-
nour compromised, perhaps, by shameful or criminal
bargains, we must desire that justice may strike the
guilty, whoever he may be.

(From the Journal des Debats of Thursday.)
PARIS, SEPT. 17.—N0 reasoning can prevent the
present epoch from being one of political decay for
England. No sophism can restore to her that
power over Europe which she has voluntarily
alienated. This may arise, perhaps, from the am-
bition of Russia—from the weakness of the Otto-
man Empire—from the lethargy of Austria, and the
indifference of Prussia. The cause, however, is of
no consequence; and it is certain that in 1827, the
expression was, if " England pleases," while, in
1829, it is everywhere said, whether " England
likes it or not, is of no consequence."
In order to judge correctly of a present circum-
stance, we must sometimes remember the past and
look to the future. Let us suppose, therefore, that
Sir J. Mackintosh, Mr. Brougham, Lord Holland,
or Lord Lansdowne, had stated two years ago, as a
rhetorical figure, that the giant of the North would
press in a short time the capital of the Ottoman em-
pire, both in Europe and Asia; that the ports on
the south of the Euxine would receive Russian gar-
risons, while the Cossacks were threatening the
castles of the Dardanelles—the Members of the
Opposition themselves would have found the asser-
tion a little too strong, and the Ministerial orators

would have replied bS, a haughty appeal to British
dignity, to the ►nfluence cf Britain abroad, and to all
those common-places about national power and ho-
nour, with which the good easy people are every-
where so readily satisfied.

But all these things have happened, and perhaps
only the half of the events which are preparing are
yet known to us. What then has changed in Eng-
land ? Nothing, except the language. The Rus-
sian Colossus is nothing more than a mild and mo-
derate Prince, who takes up arms to lay them down
at the first summons, by those who wished his ex-
pedition to sail, in the most exemplary manner.
He is a conqueror who invades only to restore—
who is only going to Constantinople to convince his
enemy of his own weakness, and consequently in-
form him of the means by which he may re-assume
his old rivalry. We shall not be surprised, should
it be stated at London that Mahmoud was to be in-
demnified for the sacrifices his resistance has cost
him. The Emperor of Russia has visited the
straight where the trade of his most fertile province
is exposed to even renewed outrages, and some-
times threatened with complete interruption—and
he is to return without insuring his commercial ma-
rine that development. to which it has a right, and
without which it cannot exist. Who knows that
Mahmoud will not demand from him the cession of
Sebastopol and Odessa ?

In fact it is to amuse one's self with Russia to
expect to catch her in such a net. What ! when

you doubted her success—when you wished to see
pestilence and famine in her camps, and her vessels
exposed to hurricanes—then you had, in speaking
of her Sovereign, no other words in your mouth
than ambition—spirit of conquest—and invasion ;
and now, when you see, with your arms folded, at
London and Vienna, that his forces are majestically
surrounding the gates of the Turkish capital, you
are at his feet trembling, like the Turks, from ap-
prehension, and calling on him to have compassion
on the balance of power in Europe, as they call on
him to suspend hostilities.

A pleasant hope t. and if the Duke of Wellington
has no other illusion to offer to England, I can
readily believe, as has already been said, that lie
begins to find business troublesome. It was not for
this he was called to the head of hiS Sovereign's
Councils—and this was not the first use he promised
to himself to make of the pacification of Ireland. But
even the results of this great measure are become a
matter of contest. In Ireland the people talk of no-
thing but a mere important independence. It is recol-
lected that Dublin once had its Parliament, and it is
known that at present the population of Ireland is
seven millions.

You may imagine the Duke of 'Wellington pressed
in Parliament, by the consistent a'lversaries of
Catholic Emancipation, as to the consequences of a
measure which they energetically opposed, pressed
also on the measures of their exterior policy by
those who are the true defenders of the English
preponderance in the business of Europe; we may
imagine we see Mahmoud, with Diebitsch in front
of him, and Paskewitch in his rear, Europe and
Asia fall at the same time.
The Turks demand of the Sultan what he has
done with the Standard of the Prophet. England
will also demand of the Duke of Wellington to
render an account of the honour of the English
flag. Will this be the end of his career ? Provi-
dence sports sometimes very strangely with human
combinations.

For us, at least, we have a Mi►►istry from whom
we exact less. Occupied as we are in saving our
institutions from the nicks on which they have been
driven by imprudent habits, we must first have
France free at home before requiring for her glory
abroad. Moreover the national honour is, seriously,
in the hands of M. de Bourmont! How can it be
imagined that he can be called upon to give an ac-
count of it?

Subvert the Ottoman Empire, then—strew two
parts of the world with its ruins; make Greece free
and powerful, or slavish and tributary; rejoice at
Petersburgh—weep at Vienna; threaten at Lon-