The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-15 00:00:00

*tronll72bitton

SLAV OFFICE Three o'Clock.

A Glasgow paper contains an account of the
meeting of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of the
county of Renfrew, on Tuesday last, with a view
of devising means of relieving the distress of the
people. The distress is increasing, and seems
likely to increase in that district. It appears by
a memorial presented to the meeting from the
unemployed artisans and labourers in Greenock,
that in the last month no less than 1,304 able-
bodied men were out of employment in that
town, having dependent on them 3,545 persons,
and making a total of 4,849 destitute individuals.
Not very long ago they were in the receipt of
weekly wages, varying from 12s. to 405., and
now, without any fault of theirs, they are entirely
deprived of income, and obliged to beg for the
most scanty subsistence.
'The resources of the town are so small, that
with all the exertions of the inhabitants, what
they can raise only suffices to give to each of
these persons less than one penny per day.
Precisely the same facts are true of Paisley, Pol-
lockshaws, and Johnstone. The prospects of the
people in all these towns are as dreary as their
present condition. They have no hope of amend-
ment. Such was the impression made on the
gentlemen of the county by the facts brought
before them, that they voted a rate of 3,0001. to
assist in giving relief, though the Committee only
recommended 1,500/. All the contributions,
however, which, can be raised, will not suffice to
buy the sufferers clothes or fuel, but may, per-
haps perserve the " lives of the unemployed
people."

It is admitted by all parties that the distress at
Paisley is as great now as it was last year; but
last year Greenock, which is now as bad as Pais-
ley—Glasgow, which now needs assistance—and
Edinburgh, ,which has nothing to spare—were
all able to contribute to the relief of Paisley.
The distress, then, is makinc, rapid strides; and
there being no hope of relief,' though the case of
Greenock has been repeatedly laid before the
Government without effect, the Meeting adopted,
almost unanimously, some resolutions proposed
by Mr. WALLACE, to apply again, and most ear-
nestly, to Government for assistance. As a ge-
neral piinciple, we are
.much opposed to such
applications; but when men are starving—when
the Government has refused to grant the only
measure which cane give relief—namely, free
trade, it is a necessary consequence that the
Government should be continually pestered for
relief by the people, whom it unjustly dooms to
idleness and starvation. But whatever objec-
tions may be made to Mr. WALLACE'S principles,
his humanitrand his zeal are unquestionable,•
and deserve the warmest praise.
We wish we could say as much for those who,
for our misfortune, preside over the Government
of the country. They obstinately resisted all
the demands of the people ; they turned a deaf
ear, to : their complaints. They were warned
over and over again of the consequences of
monopoly, but they bigotedly. pursued their
own unjust career. They seem to be
making an experiment on the people. They
have placed the nation under a huge monopoly,
like a poor mouse in a glass bell, and, as it be-
gins to pant for air or food, the experimentalists
let in a small supply, and look quietly on at the
struggles of the sufferer. The poor animal,
or the poor nation, they say, will live through,
though they hardly know how, and by-and-by it
will get accustomed to the terrible privation, and
be as lively and frisky as when it was inclosed
with a limited supply of air or food. So our
political MAJENDIES are now torturing the
entire nation by way of an experiment, and the
piteous cries we heai'' from Greenock and
Paisley, are the proofs of their deeds and their
success. The people, though exposed to great
suffering are yet alive, and the monopolists
are resolved to push their experiment to its end.
What that will be, GOD only knows.

A Morning Contemporary has some remarks
on the Scottish Reformers of 1794, whose
memory he strenuously endeavours to cover with
ridicule and obloquy. His success, however, is
in an inverse ratio with his zeal, for he inflicts
no injury on the reputation of those whom he so
wantonly asperses, but he convicts hiinself of the
grossest inconsistency. The patriots in question
were, it is well known, tried in Edinburgh, and
found guilty of sedition; this was the crime
alleged against them, but their real offence was,
their agitation of the question of Parliamentary.
Reform—that question to which their arch-
enemy, Mr. PITT, had once been favourably in-
clined; of which Earl GREY boldly avowed him-
self the uncompromising advocate in the
House of Commons; and which, thirty-eight
years afterwards, he carried triumphantly
through the Legislature, cheered by the con-
stant and enthusiastic support of our Contem-
temporary ! Now, how can that which was
seditious in 1794, have been perfectly constitu-
tional in 1832 ? Above all, how can the Scottish
Reformers have been " pitiful scoundrels" for
agitating that very measure which the Whigs,
with the express sanction of the Sovereign,
subsequently passed into law ? If the one party
of agitators were " pitiful scoundrels," so, of
necessity, must the other have been. If Mum
deserved transportation in 1794 for insisting on
the necessity of Parliamentary Reform, our
Contemporary, in 1832, merited a like recom-
pense for advocating the same measure. What was
criminal in the one could not possibly have been
virtuous in the other; and we think, therefore,
that our Contemporary has been unjustly used,
and that he has great cause to complain of his
treatment, in not having been honoured, like his
Scottish predecessors, by a free passage to our
penal settlements in Australia. It is never,
however, too late to do justice, and we shall be
most happy, if by strenuously urging his claims
to that distinction, we can assist in expediting his
transportation 1 When, not content with ridi-
culing their political sentiments, our Con-
temporary speaks of the Scottish Reformers
as " pitiful scoundrels," he fbrgets that he is in-
cluding in this censure one of the most chival-
rous and high-minded spirits of the age in which
he lived—the young and accomplished JOSEPH
GERALD—the favourite pupil of Dr. PARR—the
chosen friend of Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH, and
others of the Whig party—who testified his lofty
and disinterested attachment to Reform, by the
willing sacrifice of fortune—fame—hope—friend-
ship—of everything, in short, which renders life
desirable ! The man who could so act—and
PARR'S own private letters bear testimony to the
truth of our statement—has taken it out of the

power of even. his bitterest enemy to load his
memory with obloquy.

A Westbury Correspondent of the Wilts Inde-
pendent says :—" One of our clergy the other
day, when about to marry a couple, ascertained
that they had not been baptised, and accordingly
expressed his determination not to marry them
unless they submitted to the ordinance, and fur-
ther stated that his charge would be one shilling
each. The man said he had only three-pence
with him, and this being the case, the clergy-
man consented to baptise, and thus regenerate
him for that sum !"—There is a cool business-
like air about this transaction anything but
1 creditable to the clergyman engaged in
it. Conceive a parson first standing out for a
shilling baptismal fee, and then, finding lie can-
not get it, lowering his terms, and administering
threepenn'orth of spiritual regeneration! Far
better he had regenerated on tick, for then at
least lie would have avoided the scandal of
making the affair one of mere pounds, shillings,
and pence ! By the bye, we trust that in his
next tariff Sir ROBERT PEEL will give the Church
a turn, as he has just done the agriculturists, and
lower the Duties on all ecclesiastical matters.
We have now got cheap turbot, why should we
not have cheap Regeneration?

The intelligence from Madrid is to the 6th
inst. The official Gazette of that day announces
that ESPARTERO has no intention of prolonging
the minority of the QUEEN, and that he will ab-
dicate his powers as Regent when her MAJESTY
has attained her fourteenth year. The same
journal asserts that no intention exists to attack
the liberty of the Press, and that Article 2 of the
Constitution will be strictly observed. It com-
plains of the degraded state of the journals, and
of the daily libels on the REGENT. The laws
only had been resorted to for the punishment of
press offences, although in no country did there
exist such abominable license as in Spain.

According to sonic of the Paris papers the
King of the FRENCH had reasons for removing
General PAJOL from the command of the
first military division. He war ardently at-
tached to liberty, and had taken an active part in
promoting the revolution of July, but he was ad-
vanced in years, and in case of any serious dis-
turbance might be less efficient than a younger
and less scrupulous• General. The Commerce,
therefore, announces that as soon as he was
dismissed a new military plan for the protection of
the Tuileries was formed under the auspices of his
successor, Gen. SEBASTIANI. This plan lays down
the positions which each regiment of the garrison
of Paris is to occupy in the streets or public
squares, in event of a rising like that which led
to the abdication of CHARLES X. The corps
charged with the defence of the Palace, and other
public buildings, are to be provided with a cer-
tain number of guns for clearing the streets, and
levelling those dangerous obstructions called
barricades. We know not whether there is any
truth in these statements, but if another
outbreak should take place at Paris the insur-
gents will find themselves in a very
different rposition from that which enabled
the heroes of July to conquer the Sove-
reign. The fortifications are carried on
with great vigour, and will, in a short period,
command every road leading to the capital.
The short speeches made by Sir R. PEEL and
Lord. JOHN RUSSELL at Guildhall, seem to have
excited some interest in Paris. The Govern-
ment paper, the Journal des Debats, gives an
account of the proceedings without any com-
ment. The Courrier Francais comments on
them with some severity, and takes especial care
to attack Lord PALMERSTON and the Whigs, and the
Minister of the " Foreigner." "Sir R. PEEL,"
says that journal, "spoke first, and with infinite
address. His discourse is a political programme
in a few words. In the first rank he places peace,
and dwells upon the necessity for cultivating the
benefits of it, not at any price,' not everywhere
and always,' like M. GUIZOT, but so long as it
shall be compatible with the interests and the
honour of the country. Sir R. PEEL declares
himself equally disposed to preserve unstained
the glory of the British arms, but with this re-
serve, that an appeal to arms must become
indispensable before the Government resort to
that extremity. The Minister proposes to
encourage the demand for labour by ex-
tending the commercial relations of Great
Britain. In this respect, we fear the task
is above his strength. How, in fact, can
England increase the number of consumers
of her produce, if she will not consent to con-
sume the corn, wine, fruit, and cattle which
foreign producers will send her, whenever the
English aristocracy shall permit them? No
trade—that is to say, no safety—for England,
without a free trade in corn. In fine, Sir ROBERT
PEEL declares that his object is to maintain
public credit, as well as that reputation for good
faith which a nation can never lose without see-
ing her moral force and her greatness diminish.
The Minister, apparently through politeness to
the guests, or through respect for the national
vanity, did not call things by their proper names.
The question is no longer to maintain the repu-
tation of the British Government for good faith.
The Minister must now labour to re-establish it, for
the perfidious conduct of Lord PALMERSTON, with
regard to an ally such as France, has certainly di-
minished it. Sir R. PEEL, in his speech, put for-
ward the chances ofpeace in the first line by throw-
ing back the eventualities of war. Lord J. Rus-
SELL did the contrary, and as if he had the pre-
sentiment of some approaching conflict in Eu-
rope, it was upon warlike subjects he particu-
larly dwelt. Thus the Whigs still declare them-
selves the colleagues of Lord PALMERSTON.
The fatal ascendancy of this man governs them
even after his fall, as he governed them in
the Council Chamber. A sad example of the
extremity to which politicians can suffer them-
selves to be carried, when their character
wants firmness and their understanding ele-
vation. We do not fear to affirm that the speech
of Lord Joitri. RUSSELL is that of a leader of a
party who does not expect to resume office for a
long time. If the Whigs had the least chance
of floating to the surface, they would flatter
more public opinion, which in England has
loudly declared itself for the maintenance of
peace. It is because they perceive the impassi-
bility of arriving at power that they affect bad
humour, and indulge in sinister prognostications.
The effect of this language will be to consolidate
the Tory Ministry, but the Whig Ministers even
after their retreat will thus contribute to disturb
the peace of Europe, and compromise public
liberty."
The commercial treaty concluded between
Belgium and Spain, is another blow to the French
monopolists, and has been made evidently with a
view to open their eyes, and, at time same time,
leave room for repentance, for it contains a pro-
viso by which it may cease before the term of
five years expire, if any great commercial ar-
rankement should be made with another Power.
The first article places the port dues and other
shipping charges in the respective countries on
the same footing, and the second modifies the
Spanish tariff on Belgian linen thread. In re-
turn Ibr this favour, Belgium agrees to reduce
the duty on Spanish wines to the same scale as
that granted to French wines last July, being
half-a-franc for a hundred quarts, in wood. It
also reduces, by two-thirds, the duty on olive oil
and fruits of Spain ; and levies no duty on transit
of Spanish produce to Germany.

• .
BOURSE—PARIS, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12.
First Highest Lowest Last
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per Cents. 119 ... 119 ... 118 95... 118 95
• 4% per Cents 105 80... 105 80... 105 80... 105 80
Four per Cents. 101 40... 101 40 .. 101 40... 101 40
3 per Cents 89 30... 80 30... 80 25... 80 25
Bank of France 3275 —.3275 ...3275 .. 3275
Laffitte Bank 5,000 f 5082 50...5082 50...5082 50...5082 50
Belgian Bank
Belgian Five 5..........: 103* ... 103 k ... 103 k ... 103 a
... 104 k ... 104 i
1840 lO4l ... 104 i
Spanish Active 23i ... 23# ... 24 .., 23i
Passive
... 3z
Portuguese Fives 321 ... 33 ... 324
... 33
Neapolitan.
Roman, ex div lo3k ... 104 ... 103 k ... 104
RAILWAY SHARES.

Versailles, L.R 9O ... 90 .. 90 ... 90
R.B 265. ... 265 ... 265 ... 265
Rouen .
Orleans. 5BB 75... 588 75... 588 75... 588 75
Strasburg to Bale 206 25... 206 25... 206 25... 206 25