The Sun.
London, England, 1820-03-16 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

MR. EDITOR—There are Some abuses in a'rnoq
every country, which, although they appear trivial
to the regular Authorities of the State, become,
,at length, so fatal in their effects that the strong
arm of the Law can with difficulty eradicate an evil
which a very slight exercise of power might have
prevented. We have had vet y satisfactory as-
surances lately that the Laws of our Country are
not to be attacked with impunity by' bold Agita-
torS, ,who haz,rd their necks in their desperate
and wicked entetprizes ; (Mt many of the incite-
ments which wound them op to a phrenzietl state
of tictiou are suffered to eskt as common nui-
sances, which it is every man's business to le-
press, but which no 'Mall thinks it worth while
to notice. Some years 'ago it was dangerous to
attempt the removal of any nuisance, however
dangerous to the health of, the complainant—at-
fected Gentleman and Informer were the epithete
applied by the oeposing parties, and many timid
men are still Willing to tolerate the most shame-
ful nuisances, by which their comforts are
abridged, rather titan encounter the charge of
bei.eg ill-natured, meddling, good-forenothieg
people.. I suppose it is to something like this ti-
midity that many nuisances, as dangerous to the
morals as others ate to the health of the commu-
nity, are still suffered to exist; at least there is of.
other way of accounting for the' evil. I shall
not attempt to eutimerate one twentieth part of
tite abuses to which a vigilant Police might di-
rect its atten:ion with good effect; one will be suf-
ficient, Measures have been taken by the Ser-
vants of the Crown and the Parliament to curb
the licentious Press, and so secure the ignorteht
'and the weak front further seduction and tempta-
tion. These measures have already been attend-
ed with happy effects ; but there is a serious
counteraction in another quarter, which not with -
standiug the enormity of the mischief that it hes
occasioned, is allowed to disgrace our nation it
character, and influence the multitude by means
more sure and pdwerfnl than all the Radical
Pamphlets that have been published. Ballad
Singers now do that which COBBETT and WOOLELt
cannot do, and whilst they favour the depreda-
liode of their worthy coadjutors, the pickpockets,
who rob the listeners of their cash, they infuse
poison into the minds of the weak, and confirm
the drooping spirits of the previously disaffected.
Amongst the -ballads now sung in. the public
streets are four on the subject of the differences
which are said to exist bet weer: his present Ma-
jesty and his Consort. Any thing on, this subject,
however trivial in its nature, must be perniciolts
iu its tendency ; but the songs in question are
scandalous iu the extreme. The reported-private
disagreements-of the KING anti QUEEN of the most
powerful Natioli in Europe, are• here made the
catchpenny theme of a hawker's ballad, and
crowds of idle listeners are taught to ridicule • and
abuse their Sovereign for his conduct to his Con-
sort, whose comfort and dignity are endanger, d
by the unsolicited judgment and lipprobation of
the rabble. There is sothe:hing highly disgrace-
ful to our Police in.this nuisance, and I inlet this
notice of their negligence Will nett be ineffectual.
The songs here alluded to are
.of politicel
na-
tore; • but there are others of a most indecent end
immoral tendency sung publicly in the stryets7—
Surely, Sir, these abominable abuses ought to be
removed—it is the duty of Govtrnment to insist
upou their suppression,' for they inflame a mid i-
tude to do any thine; that is wicked. The Fceuel
Revolution derived its thief support Iruin the
loose and seditious ballads which were sung in
,the streets of Paris. The Marseillois klymn altme
armed a million against the peace of the State.
Alr. NECKEit felt the importance of,,crushieg this
abuse, but it had gone too far. " Sire," said
he to the King. " the Ballad Singers' have done
more to sap the foundations of your, power, that).
the Chamber of Peers can do to support it."
I ant, Sir,
.Your obedient Servant,
G. M.

'rhe Staff of Ireland is about to undergo a con.
sitlerable alteration ; all the General Officers, with
the exception of Sir EDWARD PAGET, and' MU
Major• Generals, are to be changed.
On Saturday, the Proclamation for dissolving
Parliament, and also that ordering the Peers of
Scotland to meet in 1:Iolyrood•bo'tse, Edinburgh,
to elect 16 of their number for the new Parlia-
ment, were read at the Cross by the Heralds, with
the usual torn►alities.

Mr. GEtATTAN, it is again reported, ,will retire
from Parliament on account of his age and indif-
ferent state of health.

Mr. BOOTH is playing with great success at the
Aberdeen Theatre.

Mr. HENRY HARRIS, and his-brother, Captain
HARRIS, of the Royal Navy, are arrived in Dab-
lin ; and the former Gentleman immediately be-
gan to make the preparatory arrangements for
opening, the Theatre under his own patent.
DESTRUCTIVE Flarf.—This morning, at three
o'clock, an alarming fire broke out at the house
Of Mr. JIIFPIty, a potatoe-merchant, in High-
street, RateMl; iu a law minutes itscommuoi-
caterl to the next house (Mr. CoLsoN's), and in
a short time both became a prey to the devouring
element. Several tenements being at the back vi
the house, we are sorry lo hear dim considerable
damage has been sustained by the inmates, who
are very poor people. Several houses in the fruit
street are also much damaged. The engines at
length arriving„ a stop was put to tire ravages of
the fire. We are glad to hear that no lives have
been lost, nor any personal injury sustained.
So CIDE.-Yesterday an Inquisition was taken at the Uoop
and Grapes Tavern, Queen-square, before Mr. CELL, Conan: v.
for the City and Liberties of Westminster, on the body of
Tnomas Roberts, Quarter-Master of the ist Battalion of the
ad Regiment of Foot Guards, who put an .end to Lis esist-
once by cutting his throat with a razor. Verdict—lnsanity,
PlocoN MATCH FOR,' 200 GuiNeAs A nit
Wlali great stuns were‘ pending, took,place on Tuesday, its
the Midghain Meadows, between Mr.- Croxtord,- a mea.ber
of the Midgbain Club, and a Mr. Smarten, from 7Ninlolk,
who accepted the challenge, which was held otit against ail
England. • The match was to shoot at et girds from a trap,
at yards from the gun, with charge unlimited, and the bud
to tall within 100 yards of the gun. Petting was II to 10 on
Croxford.—Mt. Crasiord missed only twice out of4' the .21
shots—Mr. Smarten missed titres: times.
Yesterday a CoOrt of Directors was held,at the
East India FlOtise ; when Capt. F. ADAMS, of the
ship Buckingliatashire, took leave of the Court,
previous to departiui for Chiria directs