Star.
London, England, 1830-12-30 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE-EXCLUSIM

LON DON.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30.

This day at noon the Cabinet Council, for which we men-
tioned
yesterday that summonses had been issued, met at
the Foreign Office, in Downing-street, and continued in de-
liberation when this Paper went to press. The Council was
attended by the Lord CHANCELLOR, Earl GREY, the Mar-
quis of Leesnowitz, Lord DURHAM, Viscount MM.-
110A7RNE, Viscount PALMIIRSTON, Viscount GODIRICH,
the Earl of CARLISLE, Viscount ALTHORP, Lord HoL-
LAND, the Right Hon. C. GRANT, and the Duke or
Ricustoem

Yesterday evening despatches addressed to Lord Viscount
PA LM RUSTON, were received at the Foreign Office, from
the Right lion. ROBERT GORDON, our Ambassador at
Constantinople.

Private letters fiom Path, besides those which we present
in this sheet. and which have been handed to us for perusal,
state that the KING of the FRENCH is fully expected to
maintain his ground against all opposition : and from u-
surances received by his MAJESTY, that neither Prussia nor
Austria are to meddle in the affairs of Poland, much of the
grand military preparations in France are relaxing.

In yesterday's Paper we concluded all we shall think it
necessary to say, as preliminary to the delivery of our senti-
ments, or the subject of Reform ; and we must beg of our
Readers io bear in mind, that all we shall in future advance
on it, will only have relevancy to the one question of
what measures of Reform can be at present introduced, con-
sistent with, in general terms, the preservation of the essential
character of the British Constitution. We shall not hesi-
tate to pee our opinion on what is desirable ; but that can
be only a provisional opinion, limited again by what Will
pinve safely practicable; and on the question of what will
prove safely practicable, or without producing revolutionary
collision, between the three component parts of our execu-
tive, we possess not arrogance and quackery enough, to say
we ran, ei priori, determine. We repeat it again, we have
great confidence in the men at present in power. They
are pledged to carry forward the popular interests to
the practicable limit ; and we know of no men in whom we
could place greater confidence. But the public should bear
in mind, that they can only do, as the French say, letsr
possible, and rest satisfied that one step gained, should it
not be deemed adequate, another in time will become more
safely practicable.
In the meanwhile, the people of England should give
them their support—should back the efforts of
those whom they should consider their champions
at least, until they can be inculpated for some defalcation in
courage or disinterestedness. But without the people be

ardent in their support, little, we are sure, can be done by
any Go►ernment. Such unions of the people, friendly to
Reform, as that existing at Birmingham, and, we belie►e,
rapidly extending through other towns, must pro►e most
efficient in supporting, and rendering effectual, the exer-
tions of Go►ernment ; but we should recommend such so-
cieties not to be hasty, in determining tenaciously on the
specific measures necessary; u much difference of opinion
may exist amongst the wisest, and best of men, on such a
complicated subject.

la the Sr A R of Saturday lest, we ondoillrourod to gin an
epitome of that part of Mr. Basilan BSAVIIIONTiII pam•
phlet, which treats of scaresirs taxation, as ihs prinsipal

nom of the present distresses. We shall now offer some
remarks on the proposed cure. This, he contends, must
consist in Retrenchment and Reform. He examines
the most prominent defects of • the present sys-
tem of Representation ; he deprecates any Reform
that would leave the borough-owners a majority in the
House of Commons, ass mere mockery ; and he warns the
public from being carried away, by an inconsiderate avidity
for liberty, to adopt the scheme of equal suffrages, and an-
nual Parliaments. Divesting the subject of these extremes,
be says, we may proceed with more convenience to consider
the principle, upon which an equal and uniform system of
representation may be founded :

" As the chief business of the House of Commons is
to grant supplies for the necessary expenses of the govern-
ment, and to control the distribution of them ; and as the
annual supplies must be drawn from the annual earnings of
the people ; and as these earnings flow from the joint ope-
ration of manual labour and capital ; and as these two
important interests, although indispensably necessary to each
other, are continually differing, as to the amount ofprofit
which each should take from their joint operations, and as
to the proportion of public burthens which each should
bear ; it is submitted, that the principle of voting should
give to each of these great classes, an equal weight
in the choice of their representatives. It is assumed, that
self-interest is the prevailing bias among persons of property,
as well as among working people ; but yet that there are
many, among both high and low, who are enlightened,
just, and public spirited ; and who, when called on
to perform a public duty, will do so conscientiously,
although it may not favour their particular inte-
rests. If, therefore, the working people, and the people of
property, have each an equal number of votes, the self-in-
terested of each will be equally poised ; but then the
votes of the enlightened, just, and public-spirited
of both classes, will turn the beam, and secure a
just decision. To illustrate this, we will suppose
that a factious candidate should successfully recommend
himself to the interest of the lower class, by encouraging
them in extravagant notions of liberty ; persons of property
would take the alarm, upon motives of self-interest, and ba-
lance the votes of the lower orders : but the conscientious, en-
lightened,and public-spirited of both classes, would step in,
and " turn the balance" against such a candidate. If on the
other band, a candidate should court the support of the af-
fluent, by supporting unreasonable notions of submis-
siveness to power, however wrongfully exercised, the
lower orders, interested against such a candidate, would,
by their votes, counterpoise the votes of the rich, who felt
interested in supporting him. Thus far, neither party could
prevail, but the votes of the conscientious and just would,
as before, turn the balance, and decide the question as it
ought to be.

"The self-interested and narrow-minded of the people of
property, as well as of the working people, would neutralise
each other, and the election would be carried by the rotes of
the wise and good of both classes."

Mr. BEAUMONT then enters into an able argument in
favor of voting by ballot. The present mode of voting he
characterizes as intended to subject the voter to the influence
of his supetiors: upon this he remarks :

" Under the present system, however, this influence of
superiors cannot be altogether disregarded with safety. If
electors might vote away from the eye of their superiors, the
people without property would so out-number those who
possess it, as to endanger the security of property, by'
the characters they might return ; and this danger
would, of course, increase with an extension of
the elective franchise. The Government has, there-
fore, always endeavoured to increase the power and pa-
tronage of persons with property, so as to strengthen
their influence over persons without property, whose nume-
rical force, in voting, might otherwise be dangerous. But
the means have been covert, oblique, and ungenial. We
now find, to our cost, that they have NOT worked well.
The object of the present plan of reform is to get rid of
all sinister privileges and influence, and openly and fair-
ly to secure to property, its full weight in the national
representation; and, this being secured, to allow men to
vote conscientiously."

Mr. BIAVXONT then proceeds to his plan of re-
presentation, of which this is a pretty correct outline :
"The united kingdom, containing about twenty millions of
inhabitants, is proposed to be divided into four hundred elec-
toral circles, of contiguous parishes, each containing about
50,000 souls, each to return one representative.

In great cities and towns, such a number of Representa-
tives to be returned, as there are of 50,000 souls within it.

The elections to be triennial.

That every man of unblemished character, who can read
and write with facility, and who has usually resided in bis
electoral circle during the last three years, and who has had
no parochial relief, be entitled to one vote.

That persons who enjoy an income from property only,
reserve their voting until after those who vote in respect to
population have voted.

The number who rote in each parish, in respect to popu-
lation being ascertained—an equal number of votes col-
lectively are to be given to those who remain to vote in
respect to ixcurne from property —in proportion to their
respective incomes. Thus the interests of population and
property are made to balance each other."
Mr. BEAUMONT then proceeds with the details of his
plan, with the precision of a man of business. He declares
his belief that it would work well and easily. The chief
expense he says will consist in printing and paper, which he
estimates at between 301. and 401. for each electoral circle.
He then anticipates and combats the objections which may
be urged, and concludes with a summary, shewingthe House
of Commons as it is, and as it is proposed to be.

CITY. TWO O'CLOCK
Letters were yesterday received from Dublin stating that
the Marquis of Anglesey was gang to request of Govern-
ment a reinforcement of troops, and the Castle was about
being strengthened at several points.
Consols continue at 821 for the Account, with limo or
nothing doing.
In the Foreign Market Spanish Bonds are rather !ewer,
at Itti to 151.

- - - - -
PARTirrhtc. 111.
Sir,—The dispersion of the assembled crowds of the past
week, congregated for purposes as various as their political
creeds, had scarcely taken place, when different circum-
stances arose to prevent the popular mind from sitting down
into a state of quiescence. The formidable groups of the
tumultuous no longer occupy the streets, and the events of
the late trial have convinced all those, who had a point to
carry by a demonstration of brute force, that an unexpected
barrier had risen between themselves and the Government,
in the admirably organized National Guard. It had not
entered into the calculation of the many, that those who
fought by their side in July, would be their opponents in
December, being well aware that two-thirds of that power-
ful body, thought and felt as citizens with those, whom
military duty compelled them to coerce.
This distinction between the relative duties of the soldier
and the citizen, so accurately comprehended, and so nobly
acted upon, was too subtile to be anticipated by the popu-
lace, and inspired them with those hopes that were doomed
to end in discomfiture and disgrace ; and I am convinced
that the events of the past week, will always act u a check
upon the turbulent, from the recollection, that their armed
fellow-citizens will consent to a temporary sacrifice of their
feelings and resentments, to maintain order, without which
there can be no liberty. But no sooner had the Ge-
neral Order of Lafayette been issued, thanking that
noble body for their exertions, and announcing that
tranquillity was restored, than they hastened to assemble in
bodies, and to sign petitions and remonstrances to the King,
being anxious to express that their devoted conduct had not
arisen from approbation of the measures since pursued.
Many of these remonstrances are now handing about for
signature, and several have found their way into the Jour-
nals. They complain, that the conditions, on which the
crown was offered to the present Monarch at the Hotel de
Ville, have not been complied with. " A popular throne
encircled by republican institutions," was to be the epigraph
of the new Government. Eight-eight thousand electors
still represent thirty-two millions of freemen ; the Press
has gained nothing ; the Peerage, which was to undergo
regulations, preventing its continuance as hereditary, ac-
cording to article 68 of the amended charter, remains un-
touched; the gothic privileges of the citizens have not been
swept away as promised ; and an enormous sum is demanded
for the civil list. In a word, they add that neither the pre-
sent Chamber, nor the present Ministry comprehend, or even
wish to comprehend, the Revolution of July. They have
waited patiently for five months, not wishing to embarrass
the bands of Government, but are quite tired out, (fatigue)
with ineffectual struggles. They insist that the Revolu-
tion shall progress, now that order is restored, and the
stumbling block, the prosecution of the ministers, has hap-
pily finished, without either party proceeding to extremitiN.
In these sentiments, I may safely state, that four-fifths of
the National Guard coincide ; similar declarations have been
issued by the youth of the schools, and the majority of the
departments entertain the same dissatisfaction. Un-
der these circumstances, it does not require any
great political sagacity to prophecy, that the Re-
volution must march ; and 1 confidently expect that
the next two months will be a period of immense
importance in the annals of France, nay of the world
at large ; for such is her influence that a commotion, or
alteration here, is felt to the confines of civilization.
The Government cannot refuse the remonstrance of a
nation under arms ; and at present this country bears some
resemblance to Ireland in 1782, *hen her volunteers rather
dictated than supplicated amelioration, from the British Mi•
'Wry. The experience of every day more and more con-
vinces me, that the middle class, the respectable, the tax-
paying class, are determined to struggle manfully, but le-
gally, for a very serious change of the existing institutions;
semi during a series of some months, my prognostications have
been invariably verified by time and fact.
When it was known that Lafayette had resigned his
high office of Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard,
universal sorrow was expressed, under the supposition that
this resignation arose from irritated feelings. It was at
first hoped that the King would prevail upon him to con-
tinue in that capacity ; butthe Ordonnanoe, the most gracious
compliment that a Monarch can pay to a subject, of this
morning, announces the fact, and appoints as his successor,
in the commend of the National Guard of Paris, General
Mouton, Count Lobau. This chieftain rose from the ranks
in the republican army, and was one of the Provisional Go-
vernment in July. Lafayette tranquillised the public mind
yesterday, by a speech in the Chamber of Deputies, ac-
counting for his resignation. He stated that he had always
been of opinion, that the power was too great to be held by
any individual, under a constitutional monarchy : and
that he had always intended to resign, when he saw tran-
quillity restored ; that from some amendments in
the new law now in progress, for the regulation of that body,
his brother deputies, by circumscribing his power of Fiend•
nation, seemed to have the same opinion which he yielded
to, it being his own for the last 40 years. This frank and
candid announcement was received with peals of applause,
and upwards of 1,200 of the schools, waited in a body upon
him, to express their sorrow at hie resolution. Dupont (de
rEure), Keeper of the Seals, and Minister of Justice, has
also resigned ; and M. Betide, formerly one of the editors of
La Temps, and who was one of the first to oppose the illegal
saidag, under the ordonauces of July, has been appointed
Prefect of Police, in the room of the Count Treilhard, called
to the Cour Royale. It is supposed that M. Barthe will
be appointed Keeper of the Seals and Minister of Justice ;
but many lists are now handing about of a partial
change in the Ministry. The electorate law was
to have been brought forward yesterday, but is again
postponed, which adds to the general dissatisfaction. On
it the future prosperity of Prance must hinge. Report says,
that the franchise will be extended to all paying 200 francs
taxes, and the qualification be 800 francs. Even this con-
cession will not be satisfactory to the nation at large. It
is generally thought that when the Electoral Law is passed,
that the Ministers will dissolve the Chamber, and take the
mos of the nation. Already do the people exclaim
—borrowing the term from our interregnum—that they
have a Rump Parliament, which is a clog upon the wheels
of government, and that a Chamber, more consonant with
the spirit of the times, must be summoned, otherwise, " the
revolution they have bought and paid for in July," will
be a nonentity in fact ; and that the blood there expended,
"no harvittbsosuo frethersdt. survivorssink ionftothobserreedan group
onfailatlonsPmdseul7-
Idevotion and patriotism.

I am, Sir, yours, truly,
J. N.
ffIIIIEMERIMMEReeneI
CITY, ONE O'CLOCK.
The only arrivals this morning are a Lisbon mail, mailed
en the 12th of December. by which we do not bear of any
news of importance.
The Express from Paris confirms the Evening Papers
Express, of the resignation of General Lafayette, and that'
the above capital was tranquil ; still there are fears that some
important event will take place before long, from the agi-
tated state of the differentyardes there.
Consols, which left off yesterday at 824 i fin the Ac-
count opened at 821, and have been done at 821 At pro-
sent they are 824 I with little doing.
In the Foreign Market so beldame as yet.

THE KING'S COURT.
BRIGHTON, Dm 29.

Captain WOOLMER, Lord and Lady CLINTON, Sir
JOHN, Lady, and Miss Sit ELLEY, and the Duke of DORSET,
had the honour of dining with their MAJESTIES yesterday.
The Queen's Band attended in the evening; also Min
CRAMER and Mrs. ANDERSON : the former sang, accom-
panied by the latter on the piano, under the direction of Sir
GEORGE SMART.

Lord B 'tow arrived this evening.
This afternoon the KING and QUEEN took a carriage
airing. The Duke of SUSSEX walked out, and afterwards
took a carriage airing also.
Prince GEORGE, accompanied by his tutor, walked out.
His MAJESTY gave audience to Count MUNSTER.

In the course of the day, Captain and Mrs. EL Murray, Captain
Crosier, Mr. O. Hamilton, Colonel and Mrs. Clitherow, Lisaisasat
General Sir Richard and Lady Jones, Dr. Logan, sth Dragoon Guards;
Admiral and Miss Sotheby, Lord J. Townsbend, Captain and Si,,.
Greenland, the Bishop of lily, and Mrs. and Miss Sparkes, the Counters
of Carhampton, Sir Sandford and Lady Graham, Sir Robert and Lady
Wilmot, Lady Sophia Lumley, Mrs. Manners Sutton, Mr. and Elm
Beaumont, called and left their names at the Pavilion.