The Sun.
London, England, 1827-04-25 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TMIt PUBLIC JOURNALS.

This day, we believe, Lord Lansdown returns
to-London, when, we apprehend, his final an-
swer will be given to the propositions, which, as
coming from his Majesty by the select interpre-
ter of his will, have received the most respectful
attention. There has been no insolent dictation
by his Lordship ; and if there had been any at-
tempt to dictate, it would not have been made
by one who had been loaded with the Royal
favours : so that ingratitude would not have
been added to insolence. The treatment which
the King has received reminds us of that which
Queen Anne experienced from the Marlborough
faction at the close, we should rather say of their
reign than of hers. There is in each case the
warrior Duke ; but in the more modern instance
the Lord Chancellor must stand in the place of
the Duchess, the furious old woman who is said
to have slapped the Queen's face. We would
rather, however, remind his Lordship of the
penitence of his prototype, than of their common
offence. When the Duchess found out that she
was really discarded, " she hoped," says Smol-
`lett, in his continuation of Hume, " to work
upon the Queen's tenderness, and retrieve the
influence she had lost. She protested, argued,
wept, and supplicated, but the Queen was too
well pleased with her deliverance from the tyranny
of the other's friendship to incur such slavery
for the future. All the humiliation of the
Duchess served only to render herself the more
contemptible."—" The Queen," adds the his.
torian, " was generally applauded for thus
asserting her just prerogative, and setting her-
self free from an arbitrary cabal, by which
she had been so long kept in dependence."—
Smoilett's Continuation, Vol. 11. cap. 10. To
return, however, to our statement of the existing,
situation of affairs. After Lord Lansdown's re-
turn, then,—...to use a homely dilemma,—either
the seal *ill be put to'the negotiations, or " the
writings will be burned." Far be it from us to
:Appose that the latter will be the case : indeed,
under any circumstances, whether the Whigs ac-
cept of place or not, as a body, we are well as-
sured that they will lend their aid to Mr. Can-
ning, both in the attempt to free his Royal
Master from the domineering insolence of the
ejected faction, and also to effect that liberal
system of policy proposed to the world, from
which we " who give, will (in due time, as
harvest follows the seed season) be yet more
blessed than those who receive." However, the
general opinion, if it be worth the while to state
that on the verge of the event itself, is, that Lord
Lansdown will accept of place, and that the party
whom his character and talents so justly in-
fluerme, will of course follow his example. Sir
Francis Burdett, we have heard, has, as a
mere observer unconnected with party, strongly
recommended the junction. And now ; what,
if, after all, Mr. Canning should not mean
to retain the chief place for himself! If he has
merely acted like a gallant officer on board a ship,
whq assists the Commander-in-Chief to get rid of a
piratical crew, by whom the management of the ves-
sel had been usurped, and then retires to his pre-
vious station! What, in that case, will be said
of hisn ? We have heard that Lord Dudley, a per-
son who, we believe, for the good of his country,
ought to be forced into situations in which he must
exercise his powerful talents, talks of only retaining
the foreign seals till Mr. Canning, having formed the
Ministry, can resume them ; and that Mr. Canning
means to give up the first place in the Treasury to
one of the Whigs—we probably need not mention
whom ! On the subject of Lord Lansdown's ac-
ceptance of place, which we have conjectured to be
probable, we may add that no perplexity can arise
between him and Mr. Robinson, advanced to the
Peerage, about leading in the House of Lords (a
phrase, by the way, most unconstitutional, and
wi.1.11 has sprung up of late years). He would in
any case lead who possessed most personal weight
and dignity; the formal duty also would no doubt
be conceded to Lord Lansdown. The distribution
of places to the other Whigs is thus arranged at
present :—Lord Carlisle, Privy Seal ; Mr. Aber-
crombie, Judge Advocate; Mr. Spring Rice, Under
Secretary of State in the Home Department ; the
Duke of Devonshire, Lord Chamberlain, and in the
Cabinet; Lord Anglesea, not in the Cabinet. The
Mastership of the Horse has been offered to the
Duke of Leeds.—Times.

We must not conceal that at a very late hour
last night, a report was spread in certain circles
that the negotiation was at an end : we are, how-
ever, aware of the efforts industriously made by
Ultra-Whigs and Ultra-Tories to sow discord
between Mr. Canning and the moderate Whigs
who are in communication with him ; and we
caution both him and them to guard themselves
against these malignant intrigues.—Bid.

When we yesterday announced that the nego-
elation had terminated favourably, and that the
leading points had been settled to the satisfaction
of both parties, we spoke on no light authority
—it was, in fact, understood by those who were
in possession of the particulars of the negocia-
tion, and who were. enabled to pronounce an
opinion, that every difficulty of importance might
be considered as at an end, and that we might
safely congratulate the country on the union be-
tween Lord Lansdown and Mr. Canning.—We
regret to say, that a serious and unexpected dif-
ficulty has notwithstanding occurred. The pro-
positions made by Lord Lansdown have not been
received favourably. These propositions are dic-
tated by the highest sense of honour on the part
of the Noble Marquess, and mark the extreme
reluctance which he has to do any thing which
may even appear to have the least tendency to
compromise the great question so interesting to
Ireland. But they are nevertheless entirely at
variance with the sentiments of the great body of
Members of both Houses, with whom hie Lord-
ship has hitherto acted ; and it is understood, that
that body will not support his Lordship in a line
of conduct which they deem so eminently dan-
gerous to the cause of liberal opinions.--His
Lordship will be in town to-day. Whether he
may be prevailed on to re-consider his determi-
nati,;n, it is not for us to say.—We regret ex-
ceedingly, that things have taken this unfortu-
nate turn. With respect to Ireland, there cannot,
among men who are not blinded by passion, be two
opinions as to the policy which ought to be pursued
towards that country. But it is the business of the
politician, we conceive, to pursue the course best
calculated to effect the end he has in view. Mr.
Canning and the Marquess of Lansdown have
both the same views regarding Ireland. Both
wish to put an end to the causes of the divisions
of that country ; both wish to free the Catholics
from all such disqualifications, on account of re-
ligion, as can have no other effect than fostering,
all the worst passions of our nature. Both, how-
ever, must see, that there are formidable obstacles
in the way of an immediate accomplishment of
the object they have at heart ; and the question
reduces itself to this—whether, because an object
cannot be effected in the most desirable manner,
we should not adopt the next best course, or
adopt a course which cannot, even by possibility,
contribute towards it. The advocates of a more
enlightened policy towards Ireland must be aided
by the improvement of public opinion. Now,

under a Government which does not run counter
to public feeling, or wish to impose shackles on
the diffusion of intelligence, public opinion
cannot fail to experience a rapid improvement.
Hence it is, that we attach so much importance
to the, strengthening Mr. Canning at this time.
The greater the number of men of liberal views
in the Cabinet, the more able will the Govern-
ment be to pursue such measures as will promote
the improvement of the ountry, and the fewer
obstacles will be opposed to those who seek to

dispel prejudices, and to prepare the public mind
for the reception of beneficial measures. We con-
' sider, therefore, at this time, every addition to the
strength of Government, by the accession of po-
pular talents and abilities, and the accession of
Parliamentary influence, as of infinite consequence
in facilitating the attainment of all those objects
which all good men would wish to effect. If, too,
there are prejudices or prepossessions in high quar-
ters on the subject of the Catholic Question, the
possession of place must give great facilities for be-
coming acquainted both with the source of those
prejudices, and the best mode of combating them.—
There is a most material distinction between forming
part of an Administration acting on principles of
which we do not approve, and of one that acts on
no principles of which we disapprove, but which
does not act on all the principles of which we ap-
prove. In the former case, we shcald be making
ourselves instrumental to the accomplishment of
what is positively evil; in the latter case, we only
do not do all the good we could wish to effect.
But in politics we have seldom the means of giving
effect to all we wish. And it strikes us, that who-
ever does not put his shoulder fairly to the wheel
iron) an ill-judged fastidiousness, so as to endanger
the existence of those who would do much good,
though not all the good we might wish, make them-
selves responsible for the evils which their aid might
have prevented. There are few eases is w: ich a
public man ought to remain passive. —Morning
Chronicle.

Great fortunes, however meritoriously pur-
chased, excite more of the envy than the admira-
tion of mankind. The Duke of Wellington has
discovered this truth. He who was once the
idol of the nation, in whose praise the language
. of panegyric was exhausted, is now pursued with
a spirit of malicious and vulgar detraction that
would confound one of the greatest Generals in
our history with those beings of the day who rise
without merit and fall without regret. We never
were among the flatterers of his Grace ; we have
even, on public grounds, ,taken the liberty of
pointing out what we thought to be the defects
of a character otherwise splendid. We did this
when the sunshine of Court favour was upon
him, and when those who are now most merci-
less in their calumnies, were as slavish in offer-
ing him the incense of their praise. His prin-
ciples have undergone no change since that time.
His political fortunes have altered, but his poli-
tical identity is the same. From the moment
that his military career closed, by leaving Eng-
land no more enemies to conquer, he declared
for the very opinions in Government to which
he now adheres, for which he has also been con-
tent to sacrifice power, emolument, and the per-
sonal favour of his Sovereign. Whether his
opinions be bad or good, he has frankly avowed
and faithfully abided by them. He may have
been wrong, bui; he has not been hypocritical.
He has not betrayed his party to serve his ambition,
or given that homage to the success of a rival
which he had denied to his capacity. He is not a
solitary instance of the virulence of party attempt-
ing to obliterate the recollection of exploits that
were too important to be ever forgotten. When
the great Duke of Marlborough fell by the intrigues
of Mrs. Masharn, he was decried and persecuted
with about as much justice, decency, and good taste,
as we now see displayed by the associated revilers
of the Duke of Wellington. The detraction of such
men passes away, but history preserves their fame.
To reprove them when they do wrong is a just and
useful freedom in the Press which we like to see
exercised. But that those who were their idolators
in prosperous circumstances should endeavour to
despoil them of their just reputation in adversity, is
what no well-constituted mind can for a moment
tolerate.—Morning Herald.

Some of our contemporaries, who hazard no-
thing by being the first to announce, exclusively,
the intelligence of events which have never hap-
pened, assorted yesterday, with much confidence,
that the, negociations between Mr. Canning and
the Marquis of Lansdown, were brought to a
successful close, and that his Lordship had ac-
tually accepted the office of Secretary of State
for the Home Department. This point being
settled to their entire satisfaction, they proceeded
with great self-complacency to congratulate the
country upon what they considered so auspicious
an occurrence ; eulogised the Noble Marquis ;
anticipated his influence and utility in the House
of Lords, and indulged in a variety of silken
phrases of courtly adulation towards the indivi-
dual whom they had so agreeably disposed of.
We own we were surprised to see the Morning
Chronicle at fault on this occasion. " The ne-
gociations," it observed, " as we anticipated yes-
terday, have terminated favourably: and we can
now communicate the gratifying intelligence, that
the Marquis of Lansdown and his friends have
at length formed a junction with Mr. Canning
and his friends. All the leading points arc now
settled to the satisfaction of both parties. The
Duke of Devonshire having travelled with extra-
ordinary celerity, arrived in town from Bow
Wood by two o'clock yesterday morning, and
had an early interview with Mr. Canning, after
which, all difficulties were understood to be at
an end. The Marquis of Lansdown is to lead
in the House of Lords and from the abilities
and Parliamentary experience of the Noble Mar-
quis, the extent and variety of his knowledge,
and, more particularly, his familiarity with all
that relates to trade, commerce, and domestic
industry, combined with great command of tem-
per, we anticipate for him a most successful
Ministerial career." One short and simple
fact will put an end to all these antici-
pations. The negociations, up to a late
hour last night, were not concluded : and,
if we might venture to draw a very obvious
inference from their having been so long protracted,
it would be, that the chances of their satisfactory
termination are diminished, in proportion as they
are protracted. We predicate nothing, however.
That which certainly was not true either yesterday
or the day before, may become so to-day or to-mor-
row, and the dealers in exclusive intelligence
ought to have the benefit of eight-and-forty hours
to establish their authority. One more appoint-
ment has been settled since our last. The seals of
the Foreign Office are designed to pass into the
hands of Lord Dudley. We have reason to believe,
arid our wishes incline us to cling to the belief, that
this arrangement has been made in contemplation
of the possibility of Mr. Canning resuming, at no
very distant day, the direction of the Foreign
Affairs of the country. Our readers may remem-
ber, that when we first adverted to the probability
of Mr. Canning becoming Prime Minister, we ex-
pressed a hope, that the tyranny of precedent
merely, would not be allowed to interpose an in-
superable obstacle to his uniting the offices of Pre-
mier and Foreign Secretary ; and we are satisfied
the country would rejoice to see him again directing
her foreign policy. It was in that arduous, compli-
cated, and comprehensive field, the energies and re-
sources of his mind gave a loftier impulse to the in-

fluence of England—an impulse which requires to
be sustained if we v►ould see all'that has been done',
consolidated; all that has been begun,:completed.--.-
New Times.