The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-20 00:00:00

countries are on the qui vive as to the shape of the
coming results of these changes. France is quietly
working its way through the first coats of Liberalism
which the Bourbons at present but indifferently un-
derstand. She is driving on the necessity of adopt-
ing a Ministry representing the advanced state of
political science. The King has for some time
patched up a mixed order of blacks and whites, like
Lord Liverpool's medley; seeking to reign by a
division of negatives and positives ; but such a Ca-
binet never answered in any one point of view,
either in France or England, the designs with which
it was formed. The acids and alkalies might indeed
show a combination ; but what connexion was there
between the object sought and the tking produced ?
None. All compromise shows a want of courage
or a want of principle, and the experiment will end
in the same way in both countries. Though France
carry the extra weight of the Bourbons; and the
lingering remnant of despotism that still attaches to
them,—they (the people) are without our debt, that
undermines all national prosperity ; and without ow.
tithe system, that hangs like a cloud on the religion
of the people ; carrying strife and contention to the
foot of the Sanctuary, of the Font, and the Altar. If
we have subtended the base of our law ;—they have
an enlarged area of unincumbered industry that
may more than countet balance a benefit that has not
yet developed its moral or political advantages. In
many respects they are in advance of us. Of their
Literary and Philosophical Institutions the King
and the Government are the immediate patrons and
supporters : Art and Science are there an affair of
State ; and the benefit of them is given as a gratuity
to the people. Their schools and public edifices are
as free as the sun, which they represent in the mu-
nificence of their light; while in England, the per-
petual jobbing of calls for money, spreads a univer-
sality of taxation over the face of all things. We
have never done paying ; whether at the Theatre ;
at the Royal Academy ; at the Gallery of the House
of Commons; at the Missionary Meeting; at the
Bible Club ; at the Church ; at the Conventicle !
This is the great Upas Tree of England, that
poisons all the relations of life; it overshadows you
by day; and its noxious clouds rest in stygian gloom
round your pillow by night. We should, ►n political
speculation, he less apprehensive in takipg the Bour
bons,—without our system of Debt and Impost ;
than in adopting the most enlightened Prince in
Europe, with it. Such is the worrying of State
and Parish confiscation, through the middle classes
in England, that you may frequently hear the more
respectably situated threatening to break up their
Establishments ; and expatiate themselves to Van
Dieman's Land, or the Swan River, where the
monster taxation is yet " unborn of human woes."
Charles X. of France, is evidently the Liberal of
necessity. Whatever Ministry he may take, he is
sure to stake them on some of the nibblings of
Ultraism ; and when they fail, all the public indig-
nation falls full swoop on the King's advisers ; and
the Throne is congratulated on its escape from weak
councils. There is much despicable insincerity in
all this—whether it occur in France or in England.
The Bourbons imbibing the love of Regal power
with their Catholic milk ; and though now compelled
to toy and coquet with a different state of things,
they still fondle witl► their old privileges; and might
exclaim with the Bard,—

ti I would have thee gone,
And yet no further than a wanton's bird,
That lets it hop a little from her hand
Like a poor prisoner in its twisted gyves,
And with a silk thread plueki it back again,
So loving jealous of its privilege."
The better portion of the Press in France seems
to regret the position in which that country will be
wade to appear ;—" in the midst of events, the im-
portance of which the new situation of England may
very singularly increase;" but this is in the contem-
plation of the continuance of the present Ministry.
There were reports of the Dissolution of the
Chamber ; but this could not serve the secret views
of the King. The French people begin almost
universally to appreciate and espouse the cause of
open management; and they may be destined for a
length of time to conflict with ♦arious Cabinets, set
up. to stern the course of the opposition, and palter
with the public hopes. Still the march of events
is onward; and the dawn of Liberty on the Conti-
nent is undeniable. It is title the perverse excite-
ments of a state of war would throw us all back;
and again protrude the despotism of a power coloured
by the ascendancy of a military interest. The con-
tinuance of peace is therefore in this sense favorable
to the progress of general liberty. The old Ultra
portion of the French Government, is perhaps aware
of this fact ; indeed they may trace it in the opera-
tion of public feeling in the past. The French
Ministry will watch the course of English policy, in
the affairs of the East, with an accession of interest
from the new measures of our Government. The
first direction which the public: attention will now
take (beyond our own labouring domestic affairs)
will be to the progress of the war between Russia
and Turkey. It is difficult to fathom the views of
France in this question. The existing treaty is held
only by cobweb tendrils; and the moment the
features of the contest begin to assume some im-
portance as regards the integrity and independence
of Turkey,—the different powers will fly to their
respective posts. There is this speck on the distant
azure of the political sky. The English Ministry
will next he engaged, directly or indirectly, in the
consolidation of the Laws; and here we may
expect that the power of an overgrown profes-
sion, will throw every possible obstacle in the way
of any real amelioration of our Babel Code. The
state of the Revenue will hamper the foreign policy of
Ministers ; and prevent them from precipitating the
country on any military or naval engagements, as long
as any decent excuse can be made for our keeping aloof.
But emergencies bring their own large laws with
them ; and in powerful nations, there is always a
strong party for war. It is the profession alike of
active and vacant minds; the one rejecting the
common turmoil of peaceful pursuits; and the
other living on excitement as on its natural
food. The plea of pru&ence, and the necessity of
economy, are soon drowned when the passions
are awakened. If we look into past history, we
shall find no case parallel with the existing pub,
lie integrity of England under a load of Debt con-
t•acted in righting the grievances of half the world.
Will her honesty continue to support her prudence ?
or will her prudence, wrapped up in the cloak of a
pretended superior courage, commit the claims and
clamours of her creditors to the anarchical elements of
the arife of incensed nations? We ask these ques-
tions
from the depth and intensity of a profound
peace, in which the population has outgrown the
sources of employment; and new and strange diffi-
culties have beset us. The struggle in England will
he to grub on, with the hara3sing perplexity of ob-
streperous distress and a falling Revenue ; unless the
Duke should find himself possessed of nerve for an.-
other Herculean task. Of this, some do not des-
pair. He is evidently a revere economist, if he has
courage to cut in the right direction. The French
Ultra party are looking forward to the ascendancy ;
but as they were. pot sufficiently " wise in their ge-
neration," to throw the old fetters over the Press,
it is extremely doubtful if they will be able to rally
any force that can withstand the present constitution
of the Chambers. One paper says that there is a
" war party" arising in the Chambers and in the
Country. What are the objects—what the argu-
ment—of that war party ? When we are enabled
to ascertain these points, we shall be glad to enter
the field with them.

(FROM THE EXAMINER.)
P“WAMENTARY REFORM.—The wisest of phi-
losophers observes, that " the method of judging by
contraries mattes anuther's folly the master of one's
own sense," and it were childish to allow an indif-
ference or distrust of the benefit of Reform in Par-
liament to arise, from the circumstance of some of
the most frantic members of the illiberal faction
having lately professed themselves friendly to that
measure. The maxim which supposes that what is
desired by our enemies should be avoided by our-
selves, is a fallacious one, inasmuch as it assumes an
uniformity of wisdom in the antagonist mraiceuvres,