The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-17 00:00:00

of empties and as the greater portion of the
better inhabitants of towns are in Ireland possessed
of land yielding 101. freeholds, the independent
spirit and instructed opinions of the town popula-
tion will go for much more than formerly in the
choice of Irish representatives ; while those who
become candidates must seek to influence the elec-
tive body by means and qualities more demonstra-
tive of their fitness for legislation than the super-
ficial measurements of bog or mountain which they
have hitherto produced as materials of freehold
strength, and parcelled off for dens of slavery and
destitution, affording equal examples of the indefinite
divisibility of matter, and of the infinite multiplica-
tion of mankind. If, as we have said before, it
could be effected without forfeiting the support of
many respectable Tory friends of Government,
we should like to see the disfranchising power
of this Bill confined to future cases, because it is at
all times painful to see a great principle in the.
slightest instance disregarded. Much, however, as
such a scruple may be entitled to respect, it must
and ought to yield to the practical necessity of up-
holding Ministers in this their effort for the religious
peace and happiness of the empire. No mortal
work can be entirely without blemish ; but this
great measure, with all its adjuncts, we can say from
our hearts, appears to us to come nearer to perfec-
tion than any other political achievement of the last
140 years. The Catholic body, we have ground for
believing, do not differ with us in sentiment; and,
what is still better, every enlightened Protestant
hails this great work as the commencement of an
era of national tranquillity, strength, and glory.—

A strange mode of proceeding has been adopted
in both Houses, but more particularly in the House
of Lords, during the present Session. Constant
references are made to the
.opinions of the Sove-
reign, as distinguished from those expressed by Mi-
nisters. For this practice the public are indebted to
Lord Eldon, who, on the first day of the Session,
began those appeals to the King which he has con-
tinued ever since, with a view to effect on the
country, in order that such effect might again re-act
on the King. Last night Lord Kenyou went so fey
as to say that Ministers had deceived the King with
respect to
,the nature of the measure now agitating
the country. The Noble Lord was called to order;
but the Duke of Wellington said. " The Noble
Lord asks whether the measure has been ex-
plained to his Majesty. I answer, that it has
been explained ; and I would deserve the severest
censure of your Lordships and the nation, if I had
brought down such a measure to Parliament, with-
out having explained it to his Majesty. Does the
Noble Lord imagine that his Majesty would give
his confidence to any man who would venture to
lay a measure of such importance, or any measure
before Parliament, withoet explaining it to him ?
The notion that lie would suffer trey servant se to
act, is little less than an insult to his Majesty."
This was a very proper rebuke. It will be seen
from the speech of Mr. Doherty, on presenting
the petition from the Irish Bar, that a considerable
majority even of the Protestant, Barristers practis-
ing in Ireland have petitioned in favour of Conces-
sion—that none have petitioned against it, and that
more Barristers would have petitioned bad not they
been afraid lest an expression of their opinions might
be thought unsuited to the offices which they filled,
in which the utmost impartiality was expected from
them.—Aforning Chronicle.
As a specimen of the way in which party zeal
and prejudice blind the judgment, and involve men
in the most striking inconsistencies, we may men-
tion that the chosen organ of Toryism, while it op-
poses the Catholic question almost on the sole
ground of the danger to which its adoption will
expose the Church Establishment, actually itself
propoees a " divi,ion of the overgrown See of
Winchester," merely from a groundless dislike it
entertains towards the present possessor of it; who
is as superior, we will venture to say, in piety and
real usefulness, to his two predecessors, as light is
to darkness. But the Bishop of 'Winchester, it
seems, likes to have resident incumbents—he likes
to have Curates well paid ; in short, he likes the
Clergy to be what they ought to be ; and that is
Isufficient to insure him the abuse of all those (not
many we hope) who are not ste—Morning Herald.
If any ever doubted that a great mind had only
to apply itself to the study of a particular. art or
science, in order to excel in it as much as in that in
which it had previously given proofs of greatness,
we think they will be convinced of their error by
the •conversation which took place last night be-
tween the Duke of Wellington and Lord Kenyon.
A speech more fraught with all the real characteris-
tics of eloquence—and of eloquence of the highest
kind—never was uttered in the House of Lords
than that which was spoken by the Duke of Wel-
lington. The Noble Duke goes at once to the point
in debate—he uses no circumlocutions; but feeling
all the strength of his own position, and pet ceiving
the weak points of his antagonist, pushes against
him with irresistible force, and overthrows him be-
fore he is aware that he has been fairly attacked.
Such was the case with Lord Kenyon last night.
His Lordship came to the House loaded with peti-
tions, and primed with rhetorical effusions on the
Coronation Oath, and the Constitution of 1688—
dreaming of conquest, and only waiting to get his
eye on the Premier in order to put his forces to the
rout, -or shut him up in an entrenched camp,
from which he could neither escape, or defend
himself with any show of success. But what
was the. result ? We refer our readers to the pro-
ceedings of the House of Lords; and if these do
not satisfy them that the country has now to boast
of a Prime Minister as eloquent in debate as he is
firm of purpose, and as skilled in the science of
governing as he has proved himself to be in
the science of war, we know not what will. We
shall not, in fact, wrangle on this subject with
those who tray choose to differ from us. The
most gratifying part, however, of the Duke
of Wellington's speech, is that in which he gives
such unqualified contradiction to the fabricated re-
ports of the King having been duped into the
measure of Emancipation, and of the Bill now be-
fore the Honse of Commons never having been
submitted to him. The Duke of Wellington
emphatically declared that it had been submitted
and approved ; and employing almost the same
language which he did a few days ego, when the
subject was first broached, put it to the House in
what situation he, a servant of his Majesty, and his
Majesty himself, would be placed, had there not
existed, on the one part, the most conscientious con-
viceon of the necessity of the measure, and on the
other, a determination to carry it into etiect. Thus
vanish all the surmises, rumours and reports, which
have lately been afloat on this subject. The King
and his Ministers are agreed on the measure ; and
it only remains, in consequence, for the Legislature
to decide upon it.—Morning Advertiser.

It is rumoured that Sir M. Lopez, Bart. is to
be called to the Haut of Peers, by the title of Baron Ro-
borough.—Piymouth Herald,

THE LAWS OF HONOUR.—A duel was lately
fought r..t Strasbourg between two ladies, one French and
the other German, on a quarrel about a young miniature
painter. The combAtan4 net, pistol in hand, and each
attended by a female second. The CZerman was furious,
and insisteZl on fighting muzzle to muzzle ; but the French-
woman, regulating I,er conduct by the advice of her sectu4,
stood out for twenty-five panes. They fired together, and
missed, The German then insisted on their approaching,
and firing until
,either fell. The seconds, howewer; now
interposed, and, declaring that the laws of honour. were
now satisfied, took away the pistolg, and the affair ended ;
but without any apology. The fair Frenchwoman, before
leaving the ground, handsomely professed herself not actuate,d
by any pers/441 hostility ; "she had thought it due to her
honour to take a al-wt with the German, but, now that.
the affair was at an end, thO lady was welcome to the
miniature painter, whom she had fo,Aidden her presence
that very morning." The German was a Baroness, and
the Frenchwoman the wife of a General of Division.—
' Weekly Revitu,.