The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-27 00:00:00

runxac OPINXON.

The Chronicle thus alludes to the ignorance of some of the
members of the Cabinet, as regards the Queen's Letter
But if they knew that it had been determined on that a letter
was to be written, was it not monstronsly imprudent, to say
nothing of the indecency of the thing, to question the existence
of the letter, upon the mere chance that it might not have
been written ? Why speak of the thing in such a m:nner as to
beget a suspicion in the public mind that imposition might
have been practised? What man of any sense would allow
himself to speak lightly on such a serious subject as the over-
whelming distress of the people? Many persons doubted the
genuineness of the letter when Cabinet Ministers spoke of it in
a manner to create an impression that no such letter was in
existence. They said, however little the Earl of Ripon may
take to heart the distresses of the people, it is impossible, if
such a letter had been determined on, but that he must have
had some recollection of it, and he would not surely be such a
chatterer as to express a doubt whether it had actually been
issued, on the mere chance that it might not possibly have been
issued. We must say that the whole proceeding evinces
much disrespect towards her Majesty, and indifference as regards
the distresses of the people."
The Herald observes, with reference to the Queen's Letter :
—" When starvation stands on the working-man's hearth,
when every shilling subscribed must alleviate some pang, Lord
Kinnaird, as appears by last night's debate, is desirous of
knowing • why the letter should be issued just at. this parti-
cular time,' and adds that •he does not think it will do any
permanent good,' as if—supposing for an instant that his con-
jecture be right—that were a reason for withholding immediate
relief from starving people. Earl Fitzwilliam also doubts the
efficacy of the measure proposed, and would legislate for
famine by prospective, or, as his Lordship terms it, permanent
assistance, when' the call for temporal aid is so imperative !
The Marquis of Lansdowne, on the other hand, believing that
the letter i 3 well-timed and the result of mature delibei anon,
expresses his approval of the course proposed. Who is there,
we ask, unwedded to a system, who will temporise with such a
question, and not at once come forward with hand and heart to
follow the example already set by the Queen, the Queen
Dowager, her Majesty's Ministers, and other noblemen and
gentlemen, whose subscriptions are appended to the statement."
The following is from the Post :—" We observe in the
Whig papers a great deal of very disingenuous trash, with re-
ference to the observations which we offered on Wednesday
morning as to the fair, common-sense state of the bribery
question. We then maintained, what all persons conversant
with society know to be true, that buying votes at elections is
popularly regarded as no moral offence at all, and that men do
not stand any worse in society on account of having been popu-
larly known to have bought votes at elections. Because we
have stated this as a fact, our candid critics quote this part of
what we have said, and this part alone, adding certain remarks
of their own by which their readers are led to understand, that
in stating this fact, we regarded it as a very light matter, and
one to which no particular notice should be given. But the
truth is, that had these critics been honest enough to state the
substance of all we said, their readers would have found that
we not only strongly condemned that insensibility which we re-
corded, but proposed that the Legislature should interfere to
correct the grievous popular error which exists, and also to
prevent the commission at such bribery as far as may be pos-
sible, and to provide a punishment for it where means of pre-
vention fail."

The Times, alluding to the bribery and corruption practised
at elections, says :—" We do not underrate the practical diffi-
culties of these questions ; we do not overrate the advantages
to be derived from any one act of severity or of justice. We
know (with Mr. Bernal) that the evil is too deeply seated in
the constituencies of our great towns to be expelled by any
sudden discipline or any vaunted legislative nostrum ; that
among these constituencies bribery and treating, like smug-
gling or poaching, are not looked upon as crimes, and that it
is vain to legislate when you have no public moral sense with
you to back and enforce your laws. Yet we cannot but think
that what bears the appearance of indifference to this great
stain on the character of our voters is an important and absolute
evil ; and therefore, without saying what could have been done,
we must express our regret that the House of Commons should
have sent out to the world what appears very much like a care-
less refusal to do anything at all."
MONEY—TUADE—COMMERCE.

_
Not less than 1,100 salmon have been caught in the Tay,
near Perth, during the past week.
The South-Eastern Railway was opened as far as Tunbridge
yesterday, and four trains are to run daily.
PUBLIC IMILPILOVEDIENTB.

A new bridge was last week thrown over the piece of orna-
mental water leading from the inner circle in the Regent's-
park, across to Macclesfield-gate. Two other bridges are also
in formation.

The contemplated improvements which were to have taken
place in Piccadilly have been postponed till the autumn, on ac-
count of some difficulties that have arisen relative to the parish
boundaries.