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

SPIRIT OF TR R. JOURNALS.

resignations of Dupont de !Tures of Odillon Barrot,
imply the dissatisfaction of two of the most copular names among the
old and young men of France. It is idle to predict oonsequences
where even facts are not cettainly known. M. Lafitte is an eminent
banker and a shrewd man, but though sixty years old, is a very young
statesman t nor are the councils of the frank and impetuous Montalivet
(clever and honest though we admit hint to be) calculated to inspire
much confidence. Sebastian! is a man of urquest;onable talent, and
has latterly shown that he can conquer I'OlllC of the military prejudices
of his earlier career; but his popularity is to be found rather in
the saloons of Paris than among the people of France• Sault
is, beyond a doubt, a most eminent name,—eminent for talent,—
military and civil, for great resources, and undoubted intrepidity of
character. But with all these titles to admiration. he has contrived, by
his subservient conduct dutiogthe late reign, to lose the respect and af-
fections of his countrymen. The cute of Louis Philip is still a tower
astrength ; but popularity, where much more is expected than can be
granted, is a short•lived power. It is evident that something must be
done, and soon, to control the various bodies in action against the autho-
rities, or Government is merely a name. Souk is said to have put under
a month's arrest 89 of the lads of the Polytechnic School. We wish we
could see force enough in the Administration to dissolve the school, or at
least to suspend it for six months. At present, law and authority are
trampled under foot; and, to adopt the eloquent language of the Jour-
neet des Delmer of Monday, " when the law can no longer make itself
respected—as soon as this pivot of the social system ceases to act—it
matters not whether the violator of the law be the tyrant King or the
tyrant people : all is in danger : if the violator go unpunkhed,
all is lost."

Canornexa.—Times have changed. The farmers are now poor.
They are struggling to keep their heads above salver. Farmer after
farmer has gone to the workhouse. The very artificial system which
they and the gentry planned to defraud the labourers has been the chief
means of now ruining them. The farmer is now really an object
of pity; and the labourers have really beer. their tools in many cases
of kite. But the farmers. being poor, are no longer of consequence,
and therefore they may now be safely attacked for inhumanity.
The labourers, bovine interpreted in their own way the maxim
Aide lA, et le Ciel erridero, it has been inferred that the extremity of
distress has impelled them; whereas, in reality, the movement has ori-
ginated in their elevating their vies•+, and wishing to obtain a higher re-
lative position. Though we are far from approving of violence, we
'consider the dissatisfaction of the labourers a favourable symptom on
the whole. As long as men would be satisfied with being down, the
' rule with others is never to seek to raise them. What has taken
place is merely the first effects of the light breaking in on ignorant
minds. D.ssatisfattion with our present lot is the parent of all improve-
ment in the world. The rich will now, for their own sake, seek to
enlighten the poor ; and out of the recent evils much good will
mately be obtained.

Posy.—The partisans of Ministen wen clamorous a short time ago.
in their demands upon the country, to support, by means of public
meetings and petitions, the 'donning project of Government, against
the formidable opposition which they judge, correctly enough we hope,
that disorganizing scheme is destined to encounter. Nor has the appeal
been made altogether in vain. Aleetings and petitions there have been,
and no doubt will be, in number far more:than suilleient to gratify the
desires of the Administration. The zeal of the organs of Govern. '
meat to promote public meetings on the subject of Reform has
already sensibly abated ; and we should not be much surprised,
indeed, to Rod that ere long it will be transmuted into a
zeal not only more fervent, but more durable, for the dis-
couragement and suppression of popular assemblies of this description.
Public meetings have already been held in various parts of the country
to get up petitions in favour of reform, and without a single t xcypticn
we believe the result of each of them his been—not a declaration ot con.
Uncle in the wisdom or integrity of the reforming administration—not
a mamba of any desire for that moderate reform which the Wolin's.
smo—n
trades hoe declared its intention to ot, in short, any declara-
tions we pesibesione calculated to et the hands, or sustain the con-
fide:ere of the eshaisietration, buts mod spot demand for radical re-
form, for universal subs., kenos by Wise, aseempanied, in many in.
stances, by &dm throttles( spaliadas oldie church, in ether words, a cry
for revolution the met timplete in Church and State. Are the Ministers
a the Kiss pespeeld to alimowledge as their allies the declaimers in
support of dun somiodonsuy polodgiss and wishes P If they are so
rthem may obey osookoondy appeal to the authority of meet.
over with* lush amble= have exercised a permanent sway.
Otherwise they mustesseider suds meetings, and all who promote and
patronise this, is the most clangorous onondoo to them, and the experi.
meatsl inuovaden they vainly and fadlobly wish to introduce.

Ttues...-In the trials, indeed, which have taken place, it appears,
that in many instances the leaders have been persons unconnected
diregj with agricultural labour, though the pioughtnen may have
owe the mob; and if we cannot plead much for the former, the
claims of du latter are but the stronger both to a lenient sentence and
to kind treatment, the most essential test of which is sufficient wages
hereafter. Two facts bare clearly resulted from the Wale t—one, that
the poor labourers were ill.paid ; and neat, that they were not resisted
with sufficient spirit when they brat broke out into excesses. Add to
this also, that they were goaded on by inflammatory methods ; been.
diaries operated upon their minds, as they unfortunately, or some
of them, operated upon their masters' stacks and mows, —they set
them on fire. A poor boy, who had set fire to five stacks in one
parish, declared with his dying breath, and wrote with his quivering
hand, that he had been locked to these illegal acts by hearing a lecture
of Old Cobbett's at Battle; as a pour woman, recently, at one of the
public offices, swore that her husband was seduced from her into the
most shocking habits of vice, by reading Carlile's tracts; and yet both
these wretches, with the bodies of their victims cold before them, say
they are the Mends of the poor. Riot undoubtedly must be put down,
turbulence must be suppressed ; and these ends being attained, then
may clemency be shown, without risk to the misled, and without the
imputation of fear ow those who wield the law.

Cnsohter.s.—Mr. Barber Beaumont has just published a very va-
bulge pamphlet, under the title of " Thoughts on the Causemand Cure
of the present Distress, with a Plan of Patliamentary Reform." Be.l fore proceeding to the consideration of this valuable pamphlet, which
e mes
we reserve for a future day, we cannot hel nbeenring, that is order to
guard against the consequences which might follow from any event cal-
culated to shake confidence, the middle c ought to be prepared for
the worst. The calling onto( the Militia does not strike us as beintr
adequate to the emergency. The great danger, after all, Is not in the
country ; but in the great hires of commerce and industry, in which ro
many human beings are congregated. We think, then, it would may
be a wise precaution, before proceeding further with • question of so
captivating a nature as Parliamentaryltefonn, to organise the middle
dames ass National Guard. We may then proceed with less alarm in
the course on whkh we must enter.