The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-03 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION.

In an article on the subject of bribery at elections, the
Times contains the following remarks :—" We cannot hope
for any real check to corrupt practices till the arm of justice
is enabled to reach them; and justice is not enabled to reach
them till it is enabled to reach them cheaply. It
is a mere farce to expect that the crime of bribery will
be followed up generally by Parliamentary petition, as long
as these petitions are encumbered by the enormous ex-
pense and uncertainty which at present impede their progress.
In many cases the hope of ultimately reconquermg a seat in
Parliament may lead nun to spend their thousands in unseating
an adversary. But this motive is now, it appears, to be de-
nounced as corrupt ; at least the House of Commons has
thought itself bound to arm one of its Members with strange
and unprecedented powers, in order to detect and punish those
who have been content to take and act upon this view of a
Parliamentary petition. In some few cases personal animosity
may lead a rich man to undergo all this expense to avenge
himself on a successful rival. In some—very few indeed, we
are afraid—the same sacrifices may be prompted by burning
indignation at rampant and notorious venality. But in all
alike some very powerful and unusual stimulus is necessary to
urge men through the enormous difficulty, and expense, and
trouble, and uncertainty, by which their course is impeded."
The Chronicle returns to the subject of the Bishop of Lon.
don's defence of his Right Rev. Brother of Montreal's sectarian
exclusiveness, observing :—" An attempt is made by the Times
to strengthen the Bishop of London's defence of the sectarian
exclusiveness of the Bishop of Montreal in- refusing to allow
the erection of monuments in churches to any parties that did
not take the sacrament according to Church of England forms.
We therefore return to the subject, which, although of limited
interest in itself, is yet of great and national importance in the
principles involved in its discussion. The regulations in ques•
tion were, we are told, occasioned by circumstances which had
given reasonable offence to members of the Church.' But the
persons offended by the exclusion are members of the Church
also ; and very reasonably are they offended ; and to a much
greater extent than the particular members (i. e. some of the
frequenters of some one church in Canada) could possibly have
been by the absence of any such exclusion. Were not the
officers who wished to erect the tablet, members of the Church?
Are not thousands and millions whom the regulation will ex-
clude from posthumous honours, members of the Church ?
We are all born members of the Church of England, and re-
main so, unless excommunicated. To take the sacrament is
not the rule, but the:exception. This may be an inconvenience
to the Church in a religious view, but it is the price of being
a national Church. A large majority of its own members are
therefore injured and insulted by this prohibition. The dis-
tinction is most arbitrary. Many abstain from the sacrament
for fear of partaking unworthily. The principle may be a mis-
taken one, but it is the mistake of religious humility. And the
Bishop's dictum is that the humble in life shall be dishonoured
in death, and by their lowliness of spirit forfeit the well-earned
memorials of virtuous character, public services, and eminent
achievements."
The Post says :—" We, once for all, most emphatically pro-
claim that we consider an hereditary enmity to Ft ance the feel-
ing the most opposed to the dictates of civilization and Christi-
anity. Of all nations it would ill become our countrymen—no
nation has a more mixed origin. Our highest blood comes from
a Norman source, and our Royal dynasty, the object of our
warmest affections, comes from a foreign land, and is constantly
recruited from a foreign stock. It is the glorious constitution
of our polity, and, above all, the blessed influence of our reli-
gion, which makes men wise, noble, and good, in this dear
land of ours, which even a negro cannot touch without becom-
ing a child of freedom. The only men we hate (politically)
are the men who, like a Palmerston and a Thiers, make the bad
passions of men minister to their personal designs, and to the
gratification of their vanity or their ambition. We consider
that far the most judicious ceurse would be to leave La Jenne
France, like a spoilt child, to vent her wayward humours un-
noticed and in isolation, and avoid the chance of receiving un-

pardonable insult."
We take the following from the Herald :—" Mr. Crawford's
motion on Monday night was downright nonsense ; it asserted
the incapacity of the Legislature to increase taxation because
the House of Commons did not represent the people, and Set
proposed that Parliament should at once set about extending
the suffrage. Now, if the House be incompetent to impose
taxes to evalise revenue and expenditure, by how much more
must it be incompetent to extend the suffrage ? If it be morally
incompetent to perform the minor, it must be still more incom-
petent to enact the major act. Mr. Crawford complained that
the legislation of the house was class-legislation ; if so, it is in
the matter of taxation class-legislation very favourable to his
adopted clients, the working classes, for it limits increased taxa-
tion to those who are removed from the necessity of earning
their daily bread by their daily labour. The class-financial
legislation of Sir Robert Peel's Government proposes to tax
the richer sections of the community only. As the Chartists
complain of this exceptional legislation, do they demand the
extension of the income tax to their wages ? To be consistent
with their own principles they should do so. Universal dis-
tress, urged Mr. Crawford, is a proof of bad legislation ; admit
this assertion—which is, however, in reality a vague falacy—
and what does Mr. Crawford's argument gain thereby ? Uni-
versal suffrage would not remove universal distress in a country
where population presses against the means of subsis'ence."

MONEY-TRADE-COMMERCE.

The United Hills Mining Company held their Annual
Meeting yesterday in Old Broai-street. From the Report it
appeared that during the twelve months, to the 36th of April,
the net profits of the mine in Cornwall were 2,787/. 6s. 4d.,
and the operations generally successful.
The India Homeward-Mails leave Bombay this year, 1842,
on the lollowing dates :—May 2 and 23; June 18 and 1J; and
August 27. '1 he first has just arrived.
The number of persons now out of employment in Dudley
and its neighbourhood cannot be estimated at less than 15,000.
Of these, at least 14,000 are voluntarily absenting themselves
from work, and depriving their families of sustenance. There
are at least 1,000 others in a state of comparative destitution.
The resistance of the colliers to the terms of the masters con-
tinues most determined.
Messrs. Wigney's " reclaimed property " was sold on Monday
at. the Old Ship, Brighton. The jewellery realised about 100
guineas, and the " celebrated candelabrum " and its plateau
fetched the same sum. Lord Monson was the purchaser of
several fancy articles, and the harp was bought by Mr. E.
Wright for 501., its full value.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

The sum 0f25,000i stated by the Directors of the Dublin
and Kingstown Railway Company to be required for the pro-
posed extension of that line to Daley, has been agreed to be
advanced by the Commissioners of Public Works for that
purpose.