The Sun.
London, England, 1827-07-17 00:00:00

PRICES OF SHARES THI!

THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Neapolitan, 1524
Peruvian Bonds —
Portuguese Bond!.
76Y,
Prussian, 5 per cent Q 9 •
Ditto, New —
Russian, New 94
Spanish, IS2I 10%%
, 1523 —
French Rentes, sp. c. —f —c.
-- Exchange —f. —c.
• -- 3 per cent —1 —c.
) -- Exchange —l. —c.

Iresel

Brazilian Mining Co.
British Iron Mining Co
Protector Fire Insurance Co ,

I DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Paid. Per Share,
£2O 26 2534
37Y; 10%
2 £1 4 Xi 3

STOCKS, JULY It.
I St. Patrick lnsur. (per sh.)
Royal Irish Ditto —
National Ditto —
Patriotic Ditto —
Hibernian Bank —
Provincial Ditto
Royal Irish Mine —
[ I Imperial Mine
• I Mining Co. of Ireland
- i Commercial Buildings —

mum of preventing the passage of the Rosian
fleet through the Dardanelles, would permit it
to pass for the purpose of uniting in measures to
be undertaken on behalf of Greece. Russia
therefore can, we think, hardly contemplate the
employment of this Fleet in the Archipelago at
nt ; but she, no doubt, foresees the proba-
bility of events leading to hostilities with the
Porte, and that the operations of her Fleet in
the Black Sea may be necessary, before many
Months elapse, against that side of the Turkish
Empire.

is remarkable that after so many years of
otal inactivity in the Naval Departments of all
nations, a sudden spirit should appear to animate

the Cabinet of almost every Power in Europe to
fit out a squadron, and to send it to the Mediter-
ranean. Our flag has so long quietly floated on
that sea, with scarcely a ship of war of another

nation upon it, that the assembling of so many
squadrons in that quarter, naturally suggests
various considerations, which, though not suffi-
cient to give rise to any apprehensions for
our interests there, ought to excite caution,
and unquestionably will induce our Govern-
ment to augment our naval force in the Me-
diterranean to a considerable extent. This
however, is a consequence which is not to
be lamented. Our Navy—the natural defence
as it is the pride of our country—will be now
called into activity, and employment given to
some of the best officers Great Britain has pro-
duced, who are now rusting on half-pay, while a
future race of heroes will be raised, who may
hereafter have to contend for the dominion of
the sea with the combined fleets of those nations

who are now attempting to raise a Navy. Some
additional expence may, it is true, be occasioned
by an increase of our Navy, but the ultimate
advantage to the country of bringing forward
that branch of our service kill out-weigh every
other consideration.

In common with our contemporaries we rever
again to the unfortunate prevalence of trumpet.]

actions for libel, a subject not more important to
the freedom of discussion than to the liberty of

[e press and the independence of the people.—
'any person doubted the necessity for amending

e present Law of Libel—surely the practice O

he last month would overwhelm him with

telancholy proofs.

Tie Law of Libel, that

.oncleseript of legislation, is only understooi

where its vengeance is deplored. No wan who
is dragged into a Court of Justice by the avarice
of au attorney, or the recklessness of a hired

plaintiff; can say to himself—/ am safe—for
the uncertainty of the law and the prejudice of
the. Judge, cut his trembling, hopes like a two-

edged sword. And yet this is the boasted age
of liberality and free trade—free trade in all
things but the broad mart of public opinion
Why, the genius of improvement has lately
developed itself in some of our most , fettered

walks; we have had A condensation of acts for
the better regulation of the Customs—au amelio-
ration in the rigorous investigations of the
Excise—nay, even an approach to mercy in
abridging the horrid catalogue of crime, and
tempering vengeance- with justice—but for that
odious law which touches every man's liberty—

which threatens every man's
pocket—which
kindles every man's indignation by the mock-
gravity of its absurdity—for that law, there is no
amendment, as there is no hope. That vortex
of inconsistency has swallowed thousands, and
can swallow more. The law works well for those
who practice,—and who wants a better criterion ?

We answer—the friends of liberty. Why no
revert to sound principles, and have justice as
the foundation of law—have the bounds of libel,
like those of more tangible crime, so defined that
neither the partial eloquence of the advocate, nor
the perverted reasoning of the Judge, may thwart
their spirit or misguide their ,tendency ? How
much more would the public be benefitted by
the legal knowledge and- the liberal spirit of a
BROUGHAM Or a MACKINTOSH, employed in
correcting the anomalies of our law—especially
that of Libel—than in nightly leading the
Senate captive by the magic of their elo-
quence ? That man is surely the best friend of his
country who confers the greatest share of blessing
upon each of her sons. Conquerors may win
battles and sacrifice the flower of a nation in
raising a questionable fame=-but the merit of
their deeds, like the lustre of their arms, will
pass away—and the grass will grow. as green
as ever over the fields of their glory—the
sea must revert to its original smoothness—and
man to his peaceful estate : the din of arms and
the vengeance of slaughter have but their day ;
the elements resolve themselves to first principles,
and man to his natural duties.—How absurd,
then, is it to suppose that, in a free country, men
will be so blind to present enjoyment and future
comfort as to compromise their birthright—the
glory of their being !—that British Juries will
barter the distinguishing characteristic of their
country for paltry and temporary considerations
—that Englishmen will degrade themselves so
far as to involve their present proud inheritance,
and the promised right of their posterity, by
mean subserviency or ignoble sycophancy ! That
man who can hesitate about his neighbour's
liberty is not sure—is not worthy of his own in-
dependence. The golden and divine rule of
" Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you," ought to be the standard, as truth