The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-25 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PLMT.TC JOURNALS.

Intelligence has reached us from the Conti-
nent, which, however, well inclined, we cannot
altogether disbelieve, nor shall we speak of it,
if true, as unimportant. It has been under-
stood for some time past in the political circles,
' that an agreement was either signed or in pre
paration, between England and France, by which
those twcerpowers were to withdraw their troops
from the two divisions of the Peninsula respec-
tively occupied by them, on or about the first of
next October. Considering that the object of
the French invasion of Spain was to support
the anti-constitutional despotism of Ferdinand
against his oppressed people, and that the intent
of the British expedition was simply to protect
an ally from aggression—from an aggression un-
dertaken for the re-establishment in Portugal of
a similar despotism to that which had already
been restored in Spain by a similar military out-
rage—contrastie g, we say, the spirit and design
of these two armaments by France and England,
we do aver, that no instance of moderation or
humility in politics ever exceeded that which
was displayed by the British Government, in
consenting to put the two departures of French
troops from Spain, and of English from Portu-
gal, on an equal footing, whether of argument or
action. Now, however, our correspondents in-
form us, that France has retracted her consent,
and refuses to execute the measure stipulated
by withdrawing her troops in October. For this
breach of compact two causes are alleged:---Ist,
distrust of the " unsettled" state of Portugal ; 2d,
a distrust of the views entertained by the Liberal
Ministry of Mr. Canning. With regard to the
state of Portugal, the " unsettled" condition of
which country is talked of as one of the French
justifications of breach of faith, what are we to
inderstand by it ? If the ilhaese of the Regent,
and the fatal consequences anticipated by the
last accounts, are what constitute the " unsettle-
ment" of the kingdom, let us ask, has not the
Constitutional Charter provided another Regent ?
What is there so unsettled in this ? We can
indeed conceive such a project to be meditated
with regard to Portugal, as has been within these
four years realized against Spain—namely, that
of provoking disorders, and then alleging them
as a pretext for the justification of military in-
terference. Don Miguel becomes of age next
October. Is it contemplated to enforce his
usurpation of the throne or Regency, by the
bayonets of a combined army of French and
Spaniards ? We hope not. It would be what
Lord Liverpool calls " too bad," if a French
Cabinet were first to disturb the Spanish nation,
making the artificial disturbance so excited a
plea for war against its victim, and next to follow
up the like game against Portugal, by employ-
ing the same arts and the same arms for the
subjugation of that kingdom, 11160, to the joint
schemes of the two Bourbon Pi inces dominant
at each side of the Pyrenees.—We are aware
that iniquitous and extensive intrigues have been
carried on within these three months for the
embarrassment of Mr. Canning, who is the
dread and hate of every absolute Government
in Europe, and of some which are aspiring
to be absolute. We are not sure that such
intrigues have been confined to London, of
to England itself. A false step, like that
which is now attributed to Monsieur
Vii-
lele, in the violation of his solemn pledge to
respect henceforth the rights of independent nations,
inight,perchanee, have been contrived as one mode
of annoyance and distress to the British Minister.
If so, it will inevitably fail. Mr. Canning will not
now be trifled with, as he was in 1822 and 1823;
nor will the King of England submit to be menaced
by foreigners into the taontinatior of a Ministry
which might serve their unprincipled projects, any
more than his Majesty has submitted to be bullied
by those of his own subjects who have been eharged
with a parallel design. The fact is, that the Coe-
stitutional spirit has become too strong in Spain to
be kept down by the power of Ferdinand; and
almost too eager to be checked by the lopereilions
and unnatural coldness of the British Governmear
Ferdinand, and Ferdinand's friends at Paris, feel
what would be the consequence, were the troops of
the Apostolical party in France to be wit drawn.
ft would not surprise us, therefore, if, in their des-
peration, some attempts more wild and intolerable
than we have yet witnessed, were to be hazarded
ere long against the Portuguese independence. We
shall just add, that if submission will give England
any certain tenure of continued peace, let het sub-
mit, with the best grace she can, to swallow a
second dose of duplicity from M. de Villele. But
if Mr. Canning thinks that firmness is at once the
best mender of reputations, and the most success.
maker both of peace and war, we pray him to
be firm. He has the British empire with him.
Count Ofalia, who Had possibly willing listeners is,
France to his arguments for prolonging the French
occupation of his country, is said to be on his way
to England, to talk over our simple Minister, and,
to reconcile them to this juggle.—Timee.

The events which took place on Wednesday,
at the Meeting of the Friends of Purity of
Election,—or rather, the opinions which were
then maintained,—induce us to offer some re-
marks on the present political state of parties in
the country, to which we hope we shall not in
vain solicit the attention of the public. It will
be recollected that we stated some time ago, that
if Mr. Canning had come forward, or were now
to present himself, as the general advocate of
Catholic Emancipation, Parliamentary Reform,
and the rEipeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.
his Ministry never could have been formed ; o:
being formed, it would be dissolved in an hour
—in an instant--on the
indeclaration of such
principles. Mr. Canning, taking up one of
those measures,---Catholic Emancipation,—has
loaded himself with quite as much as he car.
carry: one ounce more, and he breaks down ;
an hereditary dulness resumes its teat. These
were opinions which, as we have said above, 114
promulgated some time ago-, we have not, there-
fore, borrowed them from Sir Francis Burdett,
though they appear to be coincident with his, as
tittered at the Westminster Meeting, and, indeed,
Na c
with those of every other prudent man in the
country.
particularlyt
But
style themselves the friends o f religious liberty—
Why should Mr. Canning at this time have
committed himself upon the question of ie.,
it is
by asktehdat by
classtl the Reformers,ofpeople
who
t
n
pealing the Test and Corporation Acts? To this
we reply by another question—Why should Mr,
Canning, or any other Statesman, elude or flinch
from the declaration of his opinion, when called for
it, upon any great political question whatever ?
Such elusion, such retreat into the dark, would
have been suspicious to others, and cowardly ia
himself: Behind and around this anti-reformer,
then,n Sir Franics Burdett and the Whigs have
(Ted' themselves. And why should they not ?
They have ranged themselves behind and around
a nian notoriously of-•great abilities, to the ex-
elusion of ignorance ; 'ilnd every one retains his
own sentiments. But isAbe hope of reform,
then, to be for ever smothered?- Is exclusion to
be the everlasting principle of it: British Admi-
nistration ? To these inquiries we Shall furnish a
speedy, and, we trust, a etar-Olawer, WhQ,