The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-25 00:00:00

SPMIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Whatever dissatisfaction and resistance may
have been excited by the measures introduced
by this Government for improving the condition
of the slave population in the West Indies, seem
really to have been but trifling, all things consi-
dered, to the towering indignation which has
been roused in our semi-East-Indian possession
of the Mauritius by measures of a similar cha-
racter. And from this we should infer (it is
matter of inference and conjecture only) that sin-
cere and bona fide exertions had not previously
been made for alleviating the sufferings and li-
miting the extent of slavery. We do not know
who is hit by this remark, but we suppose some
one will think himself aggrieved. A Protector
of the slaves, an official person, has been ap-
pointed at the Mauritius, and there is nothing at
present which informs us whether his conduct
has been prudent or otherwise ; but we observe
that the proclamation of Sir Charles Colville,
issued with a view to appease the commotion
created by the Protector, is as prudent and tem-
perate a production as could well have been put
forth ; and yet it is characterised by the enraged
colonists► as if it were something like King
Herod's decree to put all the innocents to death ;
therefore we cannot take the account given by
the same people of the conduct of the Slave-
protector for gospel. Sir Charles assures the
colonists that the fact is undoubted, that "it
neither is, nor ever has been, the disposition of
the local Government to act of its own accord, or
to authorise any steps (in the management of the
slaves) which are not sanctioned by the order in
council." In another part, he says, " he will
transmit to his Majesty's Secretary for the Colo-
nies the remonstrances which have been made ;
but at the same time he feels it his duty to ad-
vise the inhabitants of the colony not to rely
upon any material change being made in a sys-
tem, which the voice of Parliament has declared
must be universal in the government of all the
British colonies where slaves exist." Is there
any thing unreasonable in this, that one universal
rule is to prevail ? Yet does a declaration so
just, joined to a warning so humane, seem to
the French commentator of the Mauritius like
an order to ravage this individual colony with
fire and sword. Neither can he suppose that
" the Duke of Wellington, if he be a great
statesman, will hold himself irrevocably bound
by the letter of resolutions passed in the House
.of Commons." This person has an happy idea
of " a great statesman" in England ! That he
is to set at nought the resolutions of the House
of Commons, and in truth the law of the land,
for the notable purpose of enabling a few French
planters, on a nutshell of an island in the South
Sea, to tyrannize over their poor slaves ! Rise,
Jupiter, and put out the sun and moon to make
way for the lustre of the farthing candle! Upon
the whole, we as yet see nothing either to incul-
pate or exculpate in the conduct of the Pro-
tector; but undoubtedly the Government will
force the Mauritius planters into the system
laid down for the other colonists, without the
slightest regard to their noise and nonsense.—

A considerable sensation has been produced
in the legal world by the sudden, and, at this
period of the forensic season of the year, extra-
ordinary measure of creating the four new King's
Counsel, whose appointment was notified on
Thursday morning. When the project of esta-
blishing an additional Court of Equity was,
some time ago, in immediate contemplation, it
was regarded as a necessary consequence of the
arrangement, that a certain number of silk gowns
should be bestowed on the gentlemen who pro-
posed attaching themselves to the New Court.
But Lord Lyndhurst's Bill having been with-
drawn by Mr. Peel in the manner which at-
tracted so much notice, all expectation of a dis-
tribution of honours was at an end. There can,
however, be little difficulty in conjecturing the
means through which the measure had been
brought about ; and those who look with suspi-
cion on the influence which Government exer-
cises over the profession by conferring at pleasure
rank and precedence on favoured individuals,
will rind important matter for reflection in
the near relationship which one of the new
King's Counsel bears to 3 certain Noble
Cabinet Minister of high legal name. Three
of the persons promoted are practitioners in the
Court of Chancery ; and there is, undoubtedly,
no ground for animadversion on the selection of
them ; but the fourth, the individual so power-
fully connected, belongs to the King's Bench
Bar ; and upon his pretensions. to distinction a
very different opinion may be formed. Too
much it certainly is not to say, that the astonish-
ment his brethren feel at his present promotion
is only exceeded by the sentiment some time ago
occasioned by the run-our of his preposterous
elevation to the then vacant office of Solicitor-
General. It must also be remarked, that a gen-
tleman standing in the same happy degree of re-
lationship to another member of the Duke of
Wellington's Cabinet was, not long since, selected
to fill the comfortable place of a Welch Judge.
These proceedings are conceived in a very gal-
lant and magnanimous disdain of political jea-
lousy ; but they had better not be carried much
further, we think, unless Ministers are prepared
to avow a principle of action, which, though
commonly enough influencing in secret the pos-
sessors of power, has never been openly pro-
fessed by any Government in this country that
we have heard of.—Morning Chronicle.

The Quarterly Review for July contains
some curious specimens of reasoning run mad,
In an article on Gooch on Insanity, there is the
following passage :
" On the effects of non-indulgence, this author
has a very remarkable passage :
" ' It is a ridiculous and fatal tenderness (says he)
which causes the reason of mature years to succumb
to the caprices of infancy. Every body gives to his
son an education above his station and fortune ;- so
that children, despising the knowledge of their pa-
rents, disdain the influence of their experience.
Accustomed to follow his inclinations, and unused
to be thwarted, the child becomes a man, and cannot
resist the vicissitudes, the reverses, and the commo-
tions of life. At the slightest stroke of adversity,
madness bursts out, the reason being deprived of
support, while the passions wo unrestrained and re-
sistless,'
" We would particularly direct then attention of
the reader to the assertion—made, be it :emem-
bered, by a most competent judge—that one of the
causes of insanity is an education unsuited to the
individual's station in society; and we would ask if
it be not among the most obvious propensities of
the present day to over educate ? It is not to use-
ful, but to useless knowledge, that we object.
Knowledge, it is true, is power; but it furnishes the
power to do evil as well as good; and at there is a
greater proneness in human nature to the one than
to the other, so unassisted knowledge is mischievous
in proportion to its extent. While learning is put
forth in every shape, wisdom is almost wholly ne-
glected. Dues any man believe that to furnish the
future weaver, or• carpenter, with the education of a
scholar, or n man of science, will make him more
contented in the sphere in which he is thrown ?