The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-15 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The reformers at Oldham are to have a meeting on
Monday next. The subjects of their deliberation are al-
most as numerous as the names of those who have signed
the requisition, Equitable adjustment not only with the
public creditor, but also of private contracts, are two of
the desiderata required by the Oldhamites. Why have
not they added a repeal of the Marriage Act ? However,
we learn that this meeting is to be a great meeting, the
greatest since 1819. Knight, who was imprisoned for
presiding at a popular assembly at Burnley, is to be in the
chair ; and Dr. Healey, who was tried along with Mr.
Hunt, at York, to be one of the speakers. The rest are
of the same character; so that there will be plenty of those
qualities which are most fallacious, and most calculated to
puff up him who supposes himself to be possessed of
them—self-taught eloquence, and natural genius. 'While,
however, we expose the absurdity of ignorant and conceit-
ed men, who jumble together in one mess such a quantity
of discordant materials, it is impossible not to sympathize
with the distresses of the starving manufacturers, and ad-
mire the patience with which, as our Manchester letters
testify, they are almost universally borne. It is no matter
of surprise, if these wretched individuals, to whom the
speeches of Mr. Canning and Mr. Huskisson, in the last
Session of Parliament, held out a reasonable hope of
cheaper bread, or of increased means of purchasing it, by
opening new markets for their industry by a free trade in
corn should, now that the promise is broken, or at least
evaded, begin to despond, and in this hopeless temper of
mind listen to every quack-politician who proffers a
remedy.-77rnee.
- Papers from the Cape of Good Hope, to the 3d Jan.
have been received. They are chiefly occupied with
strictures on the appendix to the report of the Commis-
sioners of Inquiry. The charge against Mr. Burnett,
which is contained in that report, of having been concern-
ed in the composition and publication of an infamous libel
(i. e. the placard) in the interval between his sentence of
banishment and his departure from the colony, is satis-
factorily met by affidavits on the part of several individuals,
:which prove that the placard was exhibited some days
previous to the issuing of the warrant for searching his
lodgings, and many weeks before he was tried and sen-
tenced. The report of the Commissioners, therefore, is
shown to involve the absurd insinuation, that a sentence
pronounced against Mr. Burnett on the 10th August, was
the cause of his being suspected on the Ist of June of
writing a placard. It is remarkable enough that the Ses-
sion-of Parliament is now getting far advanced, without
a single word being said respecting an investigation into
the conduct of the late Governor of the Cape of Good
Hope.--Ibid.
It will be seen by the German Papers that an occurrence
has taken place, from which an infinity of advantage to the
true Christian faith is likely to he derived. The Catholic
Clergy of Silesia, no longer capable of resisting the all-
powerful effects produced by the reading of tile Holy Scrip-
tures, have presented an Address to their Superior, the
Prince Bishop of Breslau, respecting the abolition of
various abuses, which, according to their experience, are
subversive of the desired good purposes of religion. They
desire, in the first place, the improvement of the Liturgy ;
in the next, that in order to promote devotion during Divine
Service, the singing of hymns shall be introduced ; and
laitly, they require that the whole of the Service shall
henceforward be read, not in a language unintelligible, but
in that which is understood by the people ; besides a refor-
mation of the whole ritual, especially of the missal. They
thus conclude :—" If the holy Mass is ever again to
become a great and solemn act, impressing the mind and
producing happy effects, it must undergo throughout many
changes. What splendour would be imparted to our
Church if it were refined from the dross, and restored to
its apostolic purity, and if regard were paid in its institu-
tions to the wants of the present age !"—This interesting
proceeding cannot fail to be attended with important con-
sequences to the true Christian world ; inasmuch as it leads
to a reformation, which by its example promises to produce
a rational • union which must end in a general system of
Protestantism throughout Europe—a consummation most
devoutly to be wished by all good and genuine Christians,
anxious only to live in brotherly love and perfect equality
with all mankind. In the mean time however we find,
we are furnished with an additional instance of the bigotry
and adherence to pernicious principles which still dis-
tinguish the Catholic Bishop to whom the above en-
lightened propositions have been made, and whose con-
duct on the occasion would make him so fit a companion
fin. the priestly deluders and sanctified tyrants of Ireland.
This Dignitary, it will be seen, having lately discovered
that in certain villages, where the Protestants and Catho-
lics live on the best terms with each other, some Bibles
had been given by the former to the latter to read, peremp-
torily interfered, but happily without success. "He sent
(says the German Jom•nal) an Ecclesiastical Counsellor to
the villages to induce the Catholics, 1)y exhortations and
threats, to give up the Bibles. He assembled the Catho-
lic bailiffs, and
-called on them to assist him in the execu-
tion of his mission. The bailiffs refused, and declared
that they were themselves among the number of those who
were guilty of reading the Bible, and even threatened, as
come persons affirm, that they would all go over to the
Protestant religion, if they were importuned any further
en this subject. The Ecclesiastical Counsellor therefore
returned re infecta, and made his report to the Prince
'Bishop. Hereupon the Bishop is stated to have claimed
the assistance of the Civil Power, but the Chief President,
Von Merkel, did not think it advisable to comply with
this request." From these interesting facts, it may not
unreasonably be inferred, that the reign of dark supersti-
tion has nearly approached its end ; and that in the anni-
hilation of priesteraft, the enlightened mind of mankind
will accomplish the great object of our Sacred Redeemer
—the extinction of all unworthy differences—the esta-
blishment of universal peace—the promotion of unani-
mity—and the perpetuation of brotherly affection and love
throughout the whole civilized world.—Morning Post,
Our finances seem not a little deranged, as well as the.
rest of our system; and we much fear our boasted pros-
perity is rather en -the decline, not only with regard to our
‘, ctures, but with reference to our Revenue. It has
been constantly asserted by our wise Finance Ministers,
that public credit could not be sustained, except by a sur-
plus of Revenue, amounting to between five and six mil-
lions annually, beyond our expenditure; and notwith-
stisnding the excess has only been two millions for the
year 1826; yet the machinery and fallacy have been con-
tinued, as if we had aetnallyithe estimated surplus, and are
now in operation (of course by increasing the unfunded,
to purchase funded debt) at that rate, although we believe
that norone shilling of surplus can arise for the year 1827,
as the Revenue is, we understand, very considerably de-
' .icient this Quarter, as compared with the corresponding
'leaner of 1626. If, therefore, we had only a surplus
:f two millions last year, with a great deficiency this year,
the e):71
ence of part of an army abroad, we should
be glad to learn whence our Sinking Fund of 5,500,0001.
is to be found.for this year ? We should rather conclude
that We shall have none ; and for the next and future
years we shall have an additional charge of between two
and three millions for naval and military pensions (the an-
nuity for which cannot be sold). We therefore think, if
ever there was a moment when our annual Estimates re-
quired economy, the present is the one. Yet we find only
a few persons Who have really called the attention of the
House to this subject, and we are not a little surprised that
• some Member does not bring .forward a motion for pre-
venting the Commissioners lot the National Debt making
further purchases of Stock, in consequence of haying no
funds applicable to such a purpose.—Morning Chronicle.
There are, we should imagine, few things more obvious
than that it is the duty of Government to extend equal
justice and protection to all who are in its employment or
under its immediate protection or controul. That this,
however, is not the case is but too apparent from every
dav's experience. That those who have the least to do
should be the best paid, and vice versa, seems to be the
lot of office. This those
,who drive down in their cabrio.