The Sun.
London, England, 1829-12-24 00:00:00

►ons :

TRIESTE, DEC. 10.

By a ship which has arrived here in 18 days from
Alexandria, we have the confirmation of the intelli-
gence of which we have already spoken, that the Turk-
ish men-of-war, which have been atianchor ever since
their escape from the battle of Navarin, are to return
to Constantinople. The whole squadron was about
to put to sea when the above ship sailed.
An Austrian bark belonging to the squadron off
Tangier, bound from Algesiras to Venice, arrived
in Pirana yesterday.
Letters from Venice say, that the differences be-
tween our Cou rt and the Emperor of Morocco have
been adjusted by the interposition of England, and
that the Austrian squadron is on its return home.

ODESSA, NOV. 28.

A very high wind has hitherto kept the Turkish
Ambassadors on board their ships, which lie at
anchor at some distance from our harbour.
PETDRSBURGIT, DEC. 9.

His Majesty has been pleased to give his sanc-
tion to a resolution taken by the Council of the
Empire, at the proposal of the Minister of Finance,
for the formation of a Council of Commerce in this
capital, with branches depending en it at Moscow,
Riga, Archangel, Odessa, Taganrog, and wherever
they may in future be judged necessary. Princa
Chosrew Mirza, with his suite, and accompanied
by General Rennenkampf, arrived on the 21st ult.
at Tula, where he visited the public masquerade, the
manufactory of small arms, the theatre, &c.
Private letters from KischenetT, in Bessarabia, of
26th November, announce that on that day a very
severe shock of an earthquake was felt there, which
continued about three minutes. Almost all the
buildings are damaged, chimnies thrown down, and
the main walls of several houses shaken to the
foundation. A similar shock was felt on the same
day at Dubossary, at three in the afternoon, which
lasted four minutes, and was accompanied by a
subterraneous noise. The doors flew open, the
plaster fell from the ceilings, &c.

FRANKFORT, DEC. 16.

It is reported at Cologne, that the free nariga-
ion of the Rhine will commence on the Ist March
'ext.

By the Brussels Papers we perceive that the
KING'S attempt to subvert the liberty of the
Press begins to re-act upon himself—the States
General have rejected one budget, and the Mi-
nister withdrew the other in a huff !
THE HAGUE, DEC. 19.

SITTING OF Tnu SECOND CHAMBER OF THE STATES

GENERAL.

His Excellency the Minister of Finance and 107
Members present.
The Order of tl►e Day was the continuation of
the debate on several laws relative to the Budget.
Several Members having delivered their sentiments,
and the Minister of Finance having replied in de-
fence of the proposed law, they were severally put
to the vote :

That for the expenses of the Decennial Budget
was adopted by 61 votes to 46.—(Cries of "Bravo !"
from the galleries.).
That on the ways and means of the Decennial
Budget was rejected by 55 votes to 52.
That on the National Debt for ten years was
adopted by 88 votes to 19.

The annual Budget of the expenditure for 1830,
was adopted by 54 votes to 53.
His Excellency, the Minister of Finance, with-
drew, in the King's name, the Budget of thelVays
and Means for 1830, because it is intimately con-
nected with the rejected Budget of the decennial
receipt.
The law relative to the payment of the Public
Debt for 1830 was adopted by 103 votes to four.
The sitting was adjourned Co Monday, to receive
a Royal Message.

BRUSSELS, DEC. 22.
Some time ago we announced that it was in con-
enriplation to suppress two Universities ; the Jour-
nal of tke province of Liege says, it seems certain
that this suppression will fall on the Universities of
Utrecht and Louvain, the latter city would, as a
compensation, become the next seat of the High
Court of Justice. It is to be observed, however,
that all the six universities of the kingdom have
their place in the Decennial Budget.

The prosecution of the Morning Journal,
1, T
by the LORD CHANCELLOR, has had the effect
of negativing, by the verdict of a jury, the im-
putations made against his Lordship relative to
the Solicitor-GemeralshiP—which we may safely
say were never at any time believed by any indi-
vidual who really knew any thing of what was
going on in the world. Of the expediency of
the proceeding it is superfluous to speak now

wee it • and of the reference of the
Alleged libel to the Lunt) CHANCELLOR, the
most noble and Icat tied witnesses called for the
prosecution appear to have perfectly satisfied
the jury, and we have no desire to impugn then
verdict.

A cm ious historical fact was alluded to by
the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, illustrative of the
power supposed to be possessed by our earl)
Kings of restraining objectionable publications.
The first printing-press was introduced into this
country by HENRY the SEVENTH, who claimed
on that account the privilege of preventing any
interference with the right thus acquired by the
KING, as it were, by copyright or patent. This was
the sole foundation on which the right of censor-
ship rested—a right which under the STUARTS
had almost become part of the law of the land—
mail it was happily overthrown at the revolution
of 1688. The common law contains no traces
of such a right—nor could it, inasmuch as it is
of so much higher antiquity than the art of

printing.
It is not very easy to reconcile the eulogiums
of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL upon the salu-
tary influence of the Press on public and private
conduct—an influence which, he says, is increas-
ing with the increasing education and intellect of
the nations of Europe—with the avowal of the
Learned Gentleman, that " he is one of those
" who think, and have frequently thought at
" various periods within the last ten years, that
" the licence of the Press has been too much
" unrestrained, and that the use of the Press
" would have been better preserved if some-
" what more of wholesome correction had been
" exercised over it." The meaning of this is,
that some other tribunal than a Jury is required
for the repression of libels, or probably that Sir
JAMES SCARLETT would be glad to see the
repeal of Mr. Fox's inestimable Act, which
gives to Juries the decisio❑ both of law and fact
in cases of libel. However, the insinuations of
lawyers are not likely to persuade the public that
their rights can be in safer keeping than in that
of jurymen, to whom the LORD CHANCELLOR
himself has in this instance shown no disincli-
nation to resort for the protection of his honour
and reputation.
It is hardly necessary to observe that the
eminence Sir EDWARD StIGDEN has at-
tained, at the Chancery bar, is a simple and
sufficient reason for his having been appointed
Solicitor-General, without resorting to any such
absurd surmises as those of the Morning Jour-
nal. It is in evidence that the patronage of this
office does not rest with the CHANCELLOR any
further than his mere opinion of the candidate's
fitness goes. And whether there be any foun-
dation or not for the rumours, according to which
" !Es in presenti" would not have been unac-
ceptable;even to an individual enjoying so large an
income as the Keeper of the King's Conscience,
we believe that Learned Personage would, at all
periods of his career, have spurned with indigna-
tion the most distant idea of tainting the fountains
of justice, of whose purity he is the especial
guardian. The LORD CHANCELLOR is a man
of honour and a gentleman; and we venture to
say there is:not a member of the bar, to whom he
is best known, who did not treat this charge
with ridicule the moment he heard it.
That it was necessary for the vindication of
the reputation of the LORD CHANCELLOR, or
the Duke of WELLINGTON, to carry to trial the
several informations with which the Morning
Journal has been visited, we do not be-
lieve. But if there were persons so badly
informed as to require to be convinced in this
manner of the utter groundlessness of this, and
a multitude of equally absurd reports which
were circulated during the last Session of Parlia-
ment, they will now be effectually silenced. As-
saults upon private character unfortunately inte-
rest the public too much to enable some journals
to withstand the temptation of making them ; but
attacks of such a kind we hold to be disgraceful
at all times to the character of the Press. We
have never allowed our columns to be a vehicle
for them ; nor shall they ever be perverted by
practices which are the abomination of persons
of right feeling throughout the whole kingdom.

We had written thus far yesterday, when be-
hold two more prosecutions were instituted, and
two more verdicts obtained, against the same per-

secuted individuals. We say " persecuted," for

such is now the public opinion,—and now—even

now—a fourth prosecution is announced this

morning against the hunted quarry of yesterday,
and the convicted of the day before ! Mercy on

us ! Why, is it not enough that the victim is
killed, but he must be quartered also ? That the

law is strong we know—would it were merciful !
What does his Majesty's ATTORNEY-GE-
NERAL mean ? How far does he intend to
proceed ? If vengeance be his object, is
not the offender already within his clutches
for every purpose short of immolation ? Is
it wisdom to run the race of persecution
against the same victim till public feeling re-
volts at the stern course of justice, and sym-

—we are sure the public generally think so ;
Ind we know his Majesty's Government will
think so herellicr, if they do not begin to fe,
t already in the altered sentiments of those.
,vllO wish well to their administration, be-
cause they are believed to be sincere in their
endeavours to benefit the country. On this be-
ief—and what a memorable proof does Ca-
tholic Emancipation hold forth—tee hare given
our honest support tolMinisters, in common with
that portion of the Press, by fur the greater—
which is termed liberal;—and we shall continue
to give that support, however humble, so long
AS we can conscientiously do so ; but we implore
the Duke of WELLINGTON, as he regards his
own fame—to spare the liberty of the Press
from the kind protection of the ATTORNEY-
GENERAL, fSir JAMES SCARLETT intends to
put in practice HIS views of what that liberty
should consist. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S
opinion of what that liberty should be is on record,
but we hope it will never be sanctioned by an Act
of Parliament. Indeed, we have no predilection
for any new law for the professed improvemeht
of the Press—that shall emanate entirely from
any lawyer holding the office, and entertaining
the sentiments of the present ATTORNEY-GE-
NERAL with respect to the law of libel. Bad
as the present law is—and the practice affords
most melancholy proof !—we prefer it, with all
its torturing capability of application, and erra-
tic departure from the standard of truth, to any
new law of restraint—however kind in intention
and considerate in its provisions—which shall
emanate from such a quarter.
The Duke of WELLINGTON has nothing to
fear from the Press, and wherefore should he coun-
tenance its continued prosecution, if not degrada-
tion ? That the ATTORNEY-GENERAL has
nothing to fear from the Press, we know too
well, for in his official capacity he despises it ;
but why should even he wish to persecute it
unto the death ? For what man owes more to
the fostering attention of a free Press than Sir
JAMES SCARLETT ?—What lawyer has more
deserved it ? And can Sir JAMES, now in the
zenith of his power, desire to subvert that organ
to which he owes so fair a portion of his fame ?
For his own sake, we hope not,—for the sake of
the liberty of the Press, we hope not—and
above all, for the honour, the character, and
the glory of a free people, whose proudest
inheritance is a Free Press, we hope not, though
we almost begin to tremble in the fervency of

our aspirations !
If, then, the Duke of WELLINGTON scorns,
and we are sure his great heart must scorn such
a system of ungenerous persecution,—will he
permit to be done by deputy that which is so
repugnant to his noble nature ? Another ver-
dict must answer !—and yet another !

Oh, dear-bought liberty of England's Press !
How dear art thou, yet dearer still to us
If we Intuit loss thee !

THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAT.)

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK

The Legislature of North Carolina assembled on the
18th November, and the Governor's Message was commu-
nicated on the following day. It is a document of some
length, and principally confined to the subjects of internal
improvement—Education and Banking. A brief notice
of the Resolutions of South Carolina and Georgia in rela-
tion to the Tariff, was commun'cated to the Legislature,
which concludes as follows :—" A course of forbearance
on this important measure is for the present respectfully
recommended."

A letter from Liverpool, dated the 22d ult. has been
received at the North and South American Coffee-house,
which states that the Dover, Bensiey, from Boston, has
been seized, in consequence of having on board several
packages of tea, shipped by the British Consul at Boston
to the order of the East India Company, but no doubt
she will he released
.in a few days.
The Lisbon mail has arrived, but the Papers do not
contain any information of importance.
The French mail still continues due.

Consols, which left off yesterday at 95 to opened at
the same price this morning, for the Account; since which
they have been done at 94i 95, with little doing. The
French Renter having come lower has had some effect on
the market.

In the Foreign Market lit
Prices much the same as yesi

:tle or nothing doing as yet.
terday.
; FUNDS.
Si per Cent. 100
New 4 per Cent., shut
4 per Cent. 1826 1055
India Bonds, 67 69
Exchequer /Sills, '74 75
TWO O' CL CE.

ENGLIS.
Bank Stock, 215} 16i

India Stock,

3 per Cent. Cum. shut

DO., for Account, 94i 5
Ditt• Reduced, 93ii

Consols have continued for the most part of the morn-
ing at 94i 95 for the Account. At one period they were
rather giving way, but a purchase being made of 60,000
gave a new feature to the market, which remains steady
at the above price.

In the Foreign Market there is also little doing.
It is said that the tobacco which is going to be shipped
for Colombia, is going to the Dutch and Hamburg markets,
as higher prices can be obtained there than can be obtained
in this country.

TIII?ER 0' CLOCK.
Consols for Account, 94i 5.
FOUR O'CLOCK.—CLOSING PRICES.
Consols Danish
Do. for Ac. 95 Greek, 1825
Brazilian Bonds 691 Mexican, 1825
Buenos Ayres Peruvian 17i
Chilian Do. Russian 1091
Columbian, 1824, 26i , Spanish 104

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.