The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-12 00:00:00

SUMMARY OF NEWS

AND
pubitt pinton.

" Who runs may read."

FOREIGN.

There is not a syllable of political news of the slightest interest
in the French journals.
_ _

The Madrid papers are of the 2'd instant. No appearance of a
termination of the debate on the Address. Baron Pelichy, a
Frenchman, was arrested by order of the pol,tical chief of Madrid.
and treasonable papers were seized at his lodgings. It is not stated
to what faction he belonged.
The King of the Belgians has appointed General de Liem, of the
artillery, Minister of War, to replace the late General Buzen.
Tile principality of Pyrmont has acceded to the German Cus-
toms Union.

A letter from Tunis, in the Augsburg Gazette, says that the Sar.
dinian Government has just concluded with that of Holland a cons.
mercial treaty, similar to the one existing with Great Britain.
The Presse, which usually supports the Ministers, is not-alto.
gether so well satisfied with the railway project. That journal
observes :—" The Bill is perhaps cleverly drawn up. The profound
uncertainty which it allows to hang over the ulterior intentions
of the Government, and the lion's share which it leaves to private
speculation, are doubtlessly very proper expedients to secure a ma-
jority ; but there is a means of success more powerful than corrup.
tion, viz., that which derives its strength from principle. and re.
poses upon equity."

The Constitutionnel has very few words on the subject. It
merely observes that a great deal is promised, but very little is to
be done, and expresses astonishment that the line from Paris to
Strasburg, which, it says, is the most important as regards the de-
fence of the country, has been overlooked.
The National also expresses astonishment that the line from
Paris to Strasburg does not figure amongst those which are included
in the present Bill, and complains of the large amount reserved by
the Bill for private speculators, and of thepower placed by it in the
hands of the members of the Council-General of the departments.
The Courrier Francais denounces the Bill as part of a system of
wholesale bribery. We give a statement so disgraceful to the re-
presentation of France in the words of our Gallic Contemporary :
" The Bill is the most flagrant exposure that could be made of the
present state of the Chamber and the electoral colleges. Corrup-
tion has reached such a height, that the representative system, like
a machine without a spring, is incapable of working. The country
demands railways, but it will not have them ; for a Ministry like
that of the 29th October could not propose really useful lines with.
out instantly losing the votes of the Deputies whose localities were
not to be provided for.

The Commerce objects to the Bill chiefly because, instead of
holding out encouragement to speculate in railways, the Govern.
ment, says the Commerce, which executes slowly and expensively,
reserves to itself what would be much better done by the collective
enterprise of individuals.

The Quotldienne says there is mote pomp in the announcement
than there is likely to be reality in the execution, and states that
Ministers will so contrive matters that their patronage and in.
fluence as to railways shall be made conducive to their success at
the next general election.

The Steck and the France are equally dissatisfied. We have
only space for a quotation from the latter :—" The Minister of
Public Works has presented to the Chamber of Deputies the
prospectus of the railways which are hereafter to be executed. In
the rest of Europe complete lines are made without hubbub, and
without charlatanism. Here all that is done is making prefaces of
works which are never completed. Quacks I Quacks I"
The Basle Gazette states that the Cabinet of the Tuileries has
made a communication to the Cantonal Government of Geneva,
concerning the intercourse kept up by the Communists in France
with some of their sect in Switzerland.

We learn from Madrid papers of the Ist inst., that Senor
Luzan's amendment, approving the conduct of the Gonzalez
Cabinet in reference to the October insurrection, was carried in the
Congress on that day by a majority of 35 votes, the number being
85 against 50.

A letter from Madrid of the Ist inst. says—" It is not at all
unlikely that, on the plea of strengthening the Administration, at-
tempts will be made to induce M. Surra y Rull to resign within the
next six weeks, and, as he has no particular aim in remaining in
office, it is probable that he may do so, unless a public declaration
of the British holders of bonds of Spain against his quitting office,
declaratory of their increased confidence in him, should meanwhile
be made ; he is the only one of the Liberal Ministers that has ac-
tually done anything for them."

It was reported in Madrid, on the Ist, that the Archbishop of
Valencia had followed the example of his Right Rev, brother of
Toledo, and tendered his resignation, in consequence of the projects
of law recently submitted to the approval of the Cortes, on the
existing relations with Rome.

According to a St. Petersburg letter, in the Gazette of Upper
Germany, an ukase is about to be issued concerning failures and
bankruptcies. By its provisions, any persons stopping payment,
and not being able to pay 40 per cent, of his liabilities, is to be
considered a fraudulent bankrupt, and sent to Siberia, or enrolled
in the army as a common soldier.
PUBLIC OPINION.
The Times is of opinion that Sir Robert Peel's scheme for the
re-adjustment of the Corn-laws is such as will be pretty sure to
conciliate the suit ages of the more moderate men of all parties.
The Chronicle asserts that Sir Robert Peel has sunk himself into
a position which his bitterest enemies may almost commiserate;
and that his ezpose on Wednesday was evidently as little satisfac.
tory to himself as it is to the country, or as it must prove to his
masters, the landlords. " His speech," adds the Chronicle," exhibits
the servile leader, the embarrassed Minister, the paralysed sophist."
The Herald, in reference to Lord John Russell's intended
amendment on Sir Robert Peel's Corn.law scheme, says,—" The
Noble Lord's amendment carried, what follows? Either that
there is to be no Corn-law, or that the present law is to remain in
force. Now, to either of these alternatives no one is more opposed
than his Lordship; so that success in his own proposal would be
the worst thing that could befal the Noble Utensil."

The Post is satisfied with the new Ministerial Corn •law project,
chiefly becausc it has disappointed the politicians "of the Cobden
school." Our Contemporary adds, " when these impudent, sel-
fish, and conceited persons are sorely displeased, we may be sure that
something good has happened."

The Chronicle enters its protest against Sir Robert Peel's Corn-
law scheme, as being little better than an insult to the country.
" The poor, patient sufferers," says our Contemporary, "in no case
fully employed, and in many cases wholly without employment,
who ha►e been wandering about their respective neighbourhoods,
like spectres rather than human beings, will, by the sentence of
the Tory aristocracy, of which Sir Robert Peel was last night the
organ, find themselves precluded even from the hope of possible
relief in this world.—His measures of awful Importance to the
country are of awful disappointment to the millions.—Ofone thing
the country may feel certain, that the disappointment—nay, dis-
gust—of their Liberal representatives without exception, cannot
be surpassed by what may be felt by themselves.—Every honest
man throughout the empire must, by this time, be satisfied that the
resignation of the Duke of Buckingham was a wretched trick
played off on the people. It is below contempt."
The Herald expresses itself favourably toward Sir Robert Peel's
modified Corn-law measure, observing, "not that the new project
is free from objections, or will be perfectly satisfactory to the agri.
culturists as a body, but it is based on the principle of due protec-
tion being given to our domestic soil, and may be so amended in
Committee, as to render it acceptable to all moderate politicians.
Sensible and temperate persons wilt scan the details of the plan
with favour, and suggest only such amendments as are indispensable."
The Post speaks somewhat doubtfully and coldly of Sir Robert
Peel's Corn-law project, and says :—" It is not reasonable that
much consideration should be given to the subject beforc a judg.
ment is formed ; and possibly the result of that consideration may
be a conviction that the proposed scale is not lower than that
which sound policy dictates in the present juncture of affairs. The
first impression, however, is undoubtedly that of surprise at the
very considerable reduction of duty which has been proposed.
Whatever may be thought of Sir R. Peel's new scheme, there is
certainly no mystification in it.

The Times observes of Sir Robert Peel's Corn-law scheme :-
4'. We see no reason to departfromthe opinion which we have always
expressed—that a moderate fixed duty would be safer, better, and
more likely to be permanent than any modification of the sliding
scale. In this respect we still differ from Sir Robert Peel, and
should undoubtedly prefer a plan embodying our own principle to
that which he has submitted to the House of Commons. But we
are not so blinded with faction or prejudice as to think that no
change which falls short of our own notions of perfection can be
acceptable or advantageous to the nation, and we recognize in the
proposal of Government a very great practical improvement upon
the existing system, and a valuable approximation to the settle.
ment which we should most desire."
PARLIAMENTARY.
The nomination at Taunton took place, on Wednesday, when Sir
T. E. Colebrooke, on the Liberal side, and James Hall, Esq., on the
Conservative, were proposed and seconded.
Lord Jocelyn, the candidate for Lynn, has been canvassing the
electors. The election was appointed to take place yesterday.
The great demand made on our columns compels us to refer our
readers to our report of the proceedings in Parliament instead of in.
serting a summary of them.

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT.
A new gravel foot-path, nine feet in width, is to be formed and
carried across Hyde Park, extending from the gate opening into
the Bayswater.road, by Albany.street, to Apsley House.
The Thatched House Tavern, St. James's, is to be pulled down,
and the Conservative Club-house (a rival to the Carlton) erected in
the course of the ensuing summer.

ELECTIONEERING.
The election for Taunton closed on Thursday, when Sir Edward
Colebrooke, the Liberal candidate, was elected by a majority of 58
over his competitor, Mr. Hall.

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC.
Among the castles possessed by Prince Esterhazy is that of
Forchtenstein, close to Adenburg. It is built upon an eminence,
and contains a considerable park of artillery, arms and equipments
for 3,000 or 4,000 men, and a treasure composed of precious
jewels of an immense value.

me rimy—Tß-A.3D E--COMMERCE.
At the half-yearly meeting of the Eastern Counties Railway
held OD Wednesday the Secretary read the Report, from which it ap-
peared that the whole line to Colchester (52 miles) would be com-
pleted by the ensuing autumn, that the receipts for the half year
amounted to 22,551 k, being an increase of 7,0161. over the
former half year, and that the total receipts up to the 4th of
January, 1842, were 1,888,2421., leaving a balance of 40,3121.
over the expenditure.
NAWLT. AND mrs,rrAssy.
General Busen, the Belgian Minister of War, who has lately
committed suicide, wrote and sealed a letter to King Leopold,
on the morning in question, which reached the latter while at
table with the King of Prussia, at Lacken. It was worded :
" When you read this, I shall be no longer existing. You will find
my body in the small pent-house of the Kitchen garden." The
King's emotion could not be repressed. General Busen was a
brave soldier, full of energy and zeal.
THETRICAL.
The Earl and Countess ,f Harrington went to Drury lane on
Tuesday, to see the new drama of the Pris 4p War.
Mrs. W. Howard, of the Victoria theatre, expired suddenly on Tuesday evening, while sitting at the supper-table, atter her per-
formance at the Victoria. She had been indisposed with a slight
cold a day or two before her death.
Mademoiselle Rachel will, we understand, appear for seven
nights at the Italian Opera House early In the month of June.
FINE ARTS.
The widow of Baron Gros, the celebrated painter, has bequeathed
to the city of Toulouse, the birth-place of her late husband, a
painting of Venus and Cupid, a Portrait of the Baron himself, and
the Bianrtoinng thess,
e icalpletxuerce of Napoleonuted by the
tinarytisisti;ag pa.thlsotheesick
withthe
letteran o t
h er
used°. in pa
Plague
at Jaffa, and the Cupola of the Pantheon, and the
palm and wreath placed over the picture of the Plague scene, when
exhibited at the Louvre in 1804.

AI. Cherubini, the celebrated composer, now in his 82d year,
has resigned the Directorship of the Conservatory of Music at
Paris, after twenty years presidency. M. Auber is spoken of as
his successor.

C OURT-FASHI NABLE.
The Marquis of Londonderry has been appointed to the office of
Lord Lieutenant of the county of Durham, in the place of the late
Duke of Cleveland.

The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield left town Thursday for
Badminton, the seat of the Duke of Beaufort.
Earl Grosvenor left Grosvenor square on Wednesday for Mot.
combe House, Gloucestershire.
The Earl of Coventry's health has been in a very doubtful state
lately.

The Earl and Countess Delawarr will have the honour of joining
the Royal circle at Brighton.
The Dowager Viscountess Dillon has taken Mr. Bradshaw's
Villa, the Grange, at Brompton, for a term.

MISCIELTatiLNEOUS.
The report of Mr. Maclean's retirement from the representation
of the city of Oxford is untbunded.